In the seventeenth year of Hongzhi, the Empress Dowager was critically ill.

In March, the grass grows and the warbler flies, the inner palace is full of flowers, and the eaves of Biwa Zhu reflect the clear and lofty sky.

It is a good scenery, if in the past, it should be the season to drink and enjoy the flowers, but this year, no one has this leisure.

Qingning Palace has changed a lot, and there are a lot fewer people. For a few days, after Zhu Youzhu finished dealing with politics, he would go to the palace of the Empress Dowager to fulfill his filial piety.

When this day came, I actually saw the Queen Mother getting up and sitting in front of the door basking in the sun.

It should have been a happy scene, but it made Zhu Youzhi feel uneasy, is this the legendary "return to the light"?

Someone saluted and greeted her, which inevitably alarmed the Empress Dowager and made her notice Zhu Youji. So she smiled and beckoned, and said to him: "Son, come here, the mourning family has been waiting for you......

Zhu Youji's eyes were sour, as if he had returned to his childhood, when he first came out of Xinei, and lost his biological mother, and was helpless, it was the Empress Dowager who stood in front of him and stretched out her hand to him, saying: "Don't be afraid, good grandson, come here, the mourning family will always protect your ......"

Nearly thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and she is already old, her wrinkled face is like a barren land that has been flattened by the wind, and a deep "Chuan" shape is engraved between her eyebrows. This woman who dominated the harem back then, this elder who always guarded him in his own way, looks like an ordinary old man.

Zhu Youzhu also complained that she had done many things that annoyed him, but now that he looks at her like a child, he only feels embarrassed and grateful.

"Imperial grandmother, I'm here." When the palms of her hands touched, the roughness of her skin once again made Zhu Youji's heart ache.

The Empress Dowager seems to be much calmer, at her age, she has already seen through life and death, and the rest of the time is just wasted, living one more day is a gift, and it doesn't hurt to live one day less.

"Zhang'er, the mourning family has been dreaming of your father recently, and he asked me if you are okay, and the mourning family replied to him: 'Okay, good, good, you son, you can do more than you!' Alas, it was Ji Yatou who taught you well, but it's a pity that she is blessed and can't see it......"

It is said that people always love to recall the past before they die, Zhu Youzhi understood at the moment, the Empress Dowager even mentioned his little-known mother, it seems that she has thought about many people and many things.

Just wanted to answer, but heard the Empress Dowager change her words and said, "But, Son'er...... The mourning family thinks that you are just too capable...... You're doing too well, so ah, it's so bitter......"

"Imperial grandmother, Zhu'er is not bitter."

"How can it not be bitter?" The Empress Dowager suddenly took his hands with both hands, patted the back of his hand and said, "The mourning family knows that you have regrets. You have done so well for your family and country, but you are the only one who has failed yourself......"

Zhu Youzhu smiled helplessly, "No, Imperial Grandmother, Zhu'er lives up to the country, lives up to the joy, and lives up to your old age, but she is the only one." ”

The Empress Dowager was stunned, then sighed and said, "What the mourning family knows, the mourning family knows...... When Li Guang was favored that year, the mourning family knew that you couldn't let her go. The mourning family thought that you would become like your father for her, and since then you have been tired of court affairs. But I didn't expect that, after all, you still woke up. ”

"It's also thanks to the Imperial Grandmother...... That year, he secretly executed He Wending, and I couldn't tolerate him. When the Qingning Palace caught fire, I thought about treating others in the way of others, and asked the diviner to say that Li Guang had committed a taboo by building a pavilion on Wansui Mountain. It was still the emperor's grandmother who understood Ji'er, so she was angry with him and scared him into committing suicide. ”

"The mourning family knows that you are ashamed of He Wending, so they sent someone to the Qianqing Palace at night, and the bronze bell in the main hall sounded when no one was striking. It is rumored in the palace that it is He Wending's unjust soul. It is also good that Zhang'er has a reason to avenge his grievances for him and give him a good burial. ”

"Reusing Li Guang, it was Zhu'er who made a mistake. I really thought he could help me find Yingzhong's whereabouts. Even after he died, I didn't give up and searched his residence, hoping to find some useful clues. Who expected ......"

"Actually, Son, haven't you ever thought that maybe the female bachelor is really dead? After all these years, she has not heard at all. Ma Cong didn't come back, maybe just because he wanted to guard her coffin? ”

Speaking of this, Zhu Youzhu was reluctant to continue this topic, so he only raised his eyes and stared at the Empress Dowager and said, "Thank you to the imperial grandmother for saving her face, sweeping away the disaster of Li Guang for me, and comforting Wending's spirit in the sky." ”

The Empress Dowager shook her head, "Alas, it's too hard to be a good emperor." Many times, there are too many people to take into account. Zhu'er, if there is an afterlife, the mourning family hopes that you will not vote for the royal family. ”

If there is an afterlife?

If there is an afterlife, can he meet her earlier? Zhu Youzhu thought so, and the tip of his heart hurt again, causing him to cough a few times while holding his chest.

The Empress Dowager looked distressed and admonished: "Son, the time to mourn the family is running out, and the most reassuring thing is your body." You are in the prime of life, but your body is deteriorating, why is that? It's not because you're working too hard and overworked. Son, where can the court affairs be done, why don't you relax occasionally? ”

"Grandmother Huang doesn't have to worry about Zhu'er, it's a good idea, just eat some pear soup."

As soon as the words fell, both of them fell silent. Just because of this pear soup, they each remembered one person, but Zhu Youzhu remembered Li Mu'er, and the Empress Dowager remembered Zheng Jinlian.

She was escorted to the Huanyi Bureau, and she has been there for many days. Although he is not the master of the palace, he is a first-class status in Qingning Palace, and he has always been clothed and fed.

The Empress Dowager secretly smiled bitterly, this person was about to die, and he was really fragile, and even his guilt for Zheng Jinlian doubled.

She really wanted to ask Zhu Youzhu to recall Zheng Jinlian after her death and take care of her. can only endure the prince's life experience. Zhu Youji's obsession with Li Mu'er is too deep, and even she is not sure. And Zheng Jinlian is afraid that she won't be able to get what she wants in this life, so it's better to break off her thoughts and stay as far away as possible.

In this way, the harem can be at peace.

She's almost gone, and there's not much she can do...... The Empress Dowager thought helplessly, and suddenly felt that her eyelids were sleepy, so she asked Zhu Youzhu to hold her, and while returning to the room, she patted his hand and said: "Zhang'er, you have never lived for yourself in your life, and at the end of the day, the mourning family is sorry for you." After the death of the mourning family, I can't control you, you think about it, if you have anything you want to do, just do it. Don't be old, like the mourning family, when you recall this life, you only have the word 'tired'. Tired of mourning home, tired ......"

The women in the harem are like red horns on the stage, you sing it, and I will appear again. This old lady who has gone through four dynasties, has been calculating for a lifetime, and in the end she can't escape the lonely curtain call.

And what about Zhu Youzhu himself? How should his life end?