In the early spring of the sixth year of Kanghe, the purple and red flowers bloomed all over the Weiyang Palace.

In the Changle Palace, the female official Zhuyu stood respectfully in front of the soft couch with a volume of documents, and said with her eyebrows: "These are the greeting procedures presented by the Ministry of Rites, please take a look at the mother." ”

Concubine Liangxian took a sip of tea and didn't raise her eyes: "What position did Your Majesty give?" ”

"Your Majesty has not decided, listening to the meaning of the Empress Dowager, she should be awarded the title of Zhaoyi." Jewel didn't dare to look up.

Concubine Liangxian put aside the tea bowl and sneered: "It's higher than the palace expected." ”

"The Empress Dowager means that she can't treat the lord of the northern kingdom badly." Zhuyu sighed, "Niangniang also knows that the Northern County Lord and the Empress Dowager are distant relatives. No wonder he dared to come alone to the enemy country and relatives, after all, he had such a big backer. ”

"Since the Empress Dowager likes it. Then send a message to the Ministry of Rites, and the meaning of the palace is also to make the ceremony grander. A smile appeared on Concubine Liangxian's delicate face, "It has been more than a year since Empress Xiaoci passed away, and it is rare to have happy events in the harem, and it should be lively." ”

"But Niangniang, the most taboo thing for the emperor is extravagance and waste, and the emperor doesn't seem to have much interest in the county lord of the northern country, should I ask for instructions on this matter?" Jewel was cramped and uneasy.

"It doesn't matter. Since the emperor has let the palace take charge of the harem, the palace can naturally call the shots in these matters. Concubine Liangxian waved her hand, and Zhuyu had to hang her head and retreat.

At this time, the nursing mother and grandmother took Princess Cangling into the palace.

When the two approached, Concubine Liangxian stroked the princess's fleshy little face: "Cang'er, who made you angry?" ”

Cangling's eyes were full of tears, and he lay on Concubine Liangxian's lap: "Mother." Does the father stop loving Ling'er? ”

"How could you have such an idea?" Concubine Liangxian frowned.

The mother asked the child to go to his father every day to say goodbye. For more than a year, day after day, without stopping. However, the father was either dealing with government affairs, or hid in a hut next to the arched hall, and never talked to the child much. In the future, those who say goodbye, the children don't want to go anymore, it's better to go to Taixue to make Yin Ke's stupid boy funny. Cangling pursed his lips.

"Nonsense!" Concubine Liangxian was angry, "That eldest prince is not valued by your father, so you have to make fun of him." Wouldn't it be good to let him stay in that corner silently? You've got to make him as eye-catching as you are! ”

The four-year-old princess tilted her head, not understanding the meaning.

Concubine Liangxian said earnestly: "What the concubine means is that your father doesn't love you, it's just that he has no intention of loving you for the time being. But time is the best medicine, and since we have won, we will naturally have the last laugh. The world is a king, and it won't be long before your father will forget her. When the time comes, with us by his side, who else can he love but us? ”

Cangling still didn't understand her mother's words, but said stubbornly: "My father and Song Niangniang, he can still love Song Niangniang and his little sister." ”

Concubine Liangxian's knuckles were distinct, clenched into fists, hidden in her sleeves, and muttered: "Fortunately, she gave birth to a girl." ”

The more Cangling listened, the more confused he became, and in an instant, he seemed to have completely forgotten the snub he suffered from his father, and only thoughtfully took his grandmother's hand and left.

Outside the palace, Chang'an City is as lively as ever.

The people welcomed dozens of cars from the north to make peace.

"Brother Tai, when did the people who dare to be in the capital be so enthusiastic about the people of the north?" Some outsiders squeezed into the crowd and asked ignorantly.

"It's a long story, the current emperor of the northern kingdom is no one else, he is the brother of the current emperor, and he is a surname in the world. Now that the northern kingdom has sent the lord of the county and his relatives, he has the intention of surrendering to our country. Big brother, do you say we're happy? The man in brocade said with a smile, "Besides, do you know who this northern county lord is?" ”

"Who is it?" The stranger shook his head.

"It also has a bit of a relationship with our Chang'an City." The man in brocade smiled and only raised his head, "Did you see that restaurant?" The county lord's sister used to be the proprietor of that building. But now, things have long been different. ”

At this time, the stranger looked up and saw a man with a blank face standing by the window on the palatial second floor, one hand propped up on the windowsill, the other sleeve empty, and the breeze blew his hair and the sleeves of his coat.

Click...... The man closed the window.

In the most luxurious carriage in the middle, two women sat side by side, one of them was a little older wearing a complicated skirt, and suddenly opened the corner of the curtain and said to the guard on horseback: "The lord of this county is hungry, go to Dongxi Tower to rest first." ”

"But the county lord? Honglu Siqing is still waiting at the gate of the palace. The purple-haired and blue-eyed guard spoke in an authentic Chang'an accent.

"It doesn't matter." As soon as the county lord's voice fell, the maidservant next to him handed over a veil, and she took it with a smile.

In the Dongxi Building, the county lord reclined on the window on the second floor to listen to the music, and the melody of the opera was melodious: the wind rose in Chang'an, the moon was hazy, and the moonflowers were thick several times......

A pot of Luo Rihong is placed on the table, one person, two luminous cups.

The warm spring sun poured over his shoulders, and the county lord filled the wine glass opposite, and after filling the glass in front of him and drinking it all, he stared at the other side in a daze, thinking a lot, but he couldn't grasp it at all.

So, the ears are Qingqu, downstairs is the crowd of people who want to see her true face, the crowd on the street is weaving, on the other side of the river, the Baique Building is quiet.

She suddenly thought that once, she had no intention of complaining to him, saying that although the business of Baique Tower was good, it was a place she didn't like very much, so she never saw anyone playing the piano and dancing on the top of the Baique Lou painting boat. But now this

Tears fell like beads that could not be contained.

After a long time, Fang saw someone standing outside the curtain, and the breeze blew up the empty brocade sleeves of the person.

The guards came to urge: "Lord Qiqi." Honglu Temple is still waiting outside the palace gate. ”

She raised her hand and picked up the glass of wine opposite, spilled it on the table, put down a gold leaf, and got up to leave.

On the contrary, it was the guard, standing in that place, thoughtful, and could not move half a step.

"Xiao Yue ......" walked to the staircase, and the county lord held on to the wooden railing and said in a low voice.

The matter of entering the palace was no different from what he expected, and it did not go smoothly at all. The residence arranged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs was actually Bixiao Palace, which had been reduced to a forbidden place in the early years.

Lian Zhi, the maid who was married, looked at this dilapidated and gloomy house, and her eyes were full of worry: "I am afraid it will take some time to clean up and take out this place." ”

The county lord smiled and walked to the palace. Glancing at the blood stains that remained on the black gold floor, he only found a chair to sit down and close his eyes to recuperate.

At this time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent several eunuchs and maidservants and wanted to take the guards away, saying that the harem and guards were not allowed to coexist in the country's court.

Lianzhi hurriedly explained: "At this time, our envoy has already informed your country, and the guards around the county lord are the people who have accompanied the county lord since childhood, and they can't leave. ”

The eunuch of general affairs did not relent: "Since the county lord is already in his own country, he should follow the customs of his country." His Majesty blamed it, and the Sprinkle family couldn't afford it. ”

The county lord, who was sitting in the center of the hall, suddenly stood up and threw the wooden chair that was rickety under his buttocks out of the hall, and the weathered wooden chair rolled down the steps and scattered into several pieces.

Everyone was stunned, and heard the county lord say sharply: "This is the etiquette to treat the county lord with relatives?" This county lord has opened his eyes after all! Roll out of the county lord one by one! Tell your majesty, if you dare to take away one person from my side, I will dare to let this ghost place have one more unjust soul! ”

The general affairs eunuch confessed and led everyone to leave in disgrace.

On the day of the ceremony, the county lord slept until three poles on the sun. Yu'an, the former eunuch of the palace, stood outside the hall and paced back and forth, his mouth shattered: "How is this good?" If Your Majesty blames you, I'm afraid we won't be able to protect our heads. ”

"Is your majesty such a brutal man?" Under the red lid of the bead chain, the county lord sneered.

Yu An plucked up the courage to take a look, although he couldn't see it clearly, but it made his heart skip a few beats, this voice, this jaw, including this body was so similar to the queen mother.

At this time, the county lord seemed to be able to read his apprehensive heart, and patted him on the shoulder after approaching, "This county lord is the sister of Empress Xiaoci, so naturally she is like her, so there is no need to make a fuss." ”

The county lord was about to leave Bixiao Palace with everyone, and Lianzhi held a brocade box containing the blood and jade of the northern treasure and handed it to her. Lianzhi leaned closer and said, "As far as the slave maid knows, this emperor of the southern kingdom is annoyed with the county lord, and I am afraid that today's peace ceremony will not give you good fruits to eat." This blood jade wall fell and fell, and the county lord must not be rash. ”

The county lord smiled bitterly: "Don't worry. I'm afraid your majesty can do this. But the emperor of the southern kingdom is most worried about the people of Dawn. This blood jade wall represents the northerners' prayer for peace on the border, how could he drop the jade wall? ”

Lianzhi nodded as if she understood whether she understood or not, and stood at the gate of Bixiao Palace to watch the county lord get up.

On the top of the main hall, the Ministry of Rites took great pains for this peace ceremony, and various processes were cumbersome and solemn.

The county lord is like a marionette, walking up the hundred steps of white marble outside the hall, walking through the black and shiny gold brick floor in the hall, kneeling in front of the emperor of the southern kingdom, holding his hands high above his head, and the white jade brocade box in his hand is the gift of the northern kingdom.

The Emperor stood up from his throne and walked slowly to him with his hands in his hands. Through the beaded curtain hanging from his forehead, the county lord couldn't see the emperor's face clearly, but he didn't have the slightest intention of looking at it, so he only lowered his head slightly with an expressionless face.

When the emperor personally took the brocade box from her, one of the county lord's hearts also rose to his throat. Fortunately, the emperor only handed it over to the minister, and said to the envoys from the northern kingdom who came to see off his relatives: "I thank the sovereign of your country for his kindness, and I also have something to give." The envoy hurriedly bowed down to pick it up.

Then, the emperor turned his eyes to see the county lord who had already stood up, and through the beaded curtain, they looked at each other, but they couldn't see each other's faces clearly. The county lord seemed to have a premonition that something bad was going to happen, and his two hands were unconsciously clenched into fists and hidden in his sleeves.

"His Majesty the Emperor of our country has been diligent in government and love the people since he ascended the throne, and is deeply loved by the people. Now the lord of Guantao County has come to your country and relatives, and I only hope that the two countries will be good for Qin and Jin......" The envoy is still thanking.

The emperor had already walked in front of the county lord, and they could hear each other's breath.

The emperor said coldly: "I heard from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that you seem to have many dissatisfaction with Weiyang Palace. I don't want to remind you that this time you proposed it. In order to facilitate this, you are willing to offer ten cities, and I don't even have a chance to refuse. ”

The county lord didn't make a sound, but he still stubbornly held his head high.

"I tell you plainly, whether you live or die, I don't care." Before she could finish speaking, the emperor raised his hand and tugged at the beaded curtain in front of her forehead.

In front of everyone's eyes, the emperor tore off all the bead curtains, and those crystal clear eastern pearls crackled all over the ground, falling next to the county lord's blood-red embroidered shoes, constantly jumping.

The ministers in the hall were speechless, and then looked at each other, their eyes widening in shock. The envoy of the northern kingdom felt a great humiliation, and his face turned white and red......

Yude, the great eunuch in front of the emperor, also stared at his eyes and murmured: "Niangniang......"

The emperor was still expressionless, but his gaze was directly on the county lord's face, as if they had met in the prison that day, and she was also wearing such a big red wedding robe, leaning against the adobe wall of the cell, glancing at him arrogantly and indifferently.