When Mu Chen returned to the Chengji Palace, it was already late at night.

Qing Ling sat in front of the water pavilion outside the side hall, leaning slightly against the beauty couch, his arms wrapped around his bent legs, his chin resting on his knees, and his expression seemed to be in deep thought.

Mu Chen motioned to the palace people not to alarm her, stepped lightly on the jasper chiseled floor tiles, crossed the embroidered screen soaked in lily incense, and slowly walked over.

At this time, he changed into the official imperial crown, only wearing a plain and elegant heavy brocade white robe, the whole person faded a little bit of the majesty and oppression in front of the people, and the gaze looking at Qing Ling was also very gentle.

Qing Ling realized that Mu Chen was sitting down beside him, but he didn't turn his head, still staring at the sparkling ripples of the pool under the moon.

Mu Chen reached out and pulled the shawl that was about to slip off for her, "It's so late, and you don't rest?" ”

Qing Ling let out a low "um" sound, and after a while, he spoke: "I knew that you would come to me, so I simply didn't sleep." ”

Mu Chen was silent when he heard this, and his expression was obscure.

Qing Ling propped up his chin, adjusted his sitting posture, and slowly raised his eyes to look at Mu Chen.

"I know, I got together with the people of Lieyang tonight, and it made you unhappy. Don't you just mind that I had the idea of marrying to Hokuriku, and always preventing me from coming into contact with outsiders? If something like this happens to happen again, how can you not rush to me and ask me for your sin? ”

Under the moonlight, her black and white eyes reflected the sparkling light, looking at Mu Chen fixedly, but she couldn't see any emotion.

The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.

In the end, Qing Ling looked away, "I don't want to quarrel with you all the time, so I'll just make it clear today." ”

She looked down and pinched her fingers, as if to deliberate and speak, "You want to be with me, I understand." But I have my bottom line, and I can't stand you pushing me too hard. If it goes on like this, what is the point of burning the jade? Why don't you and I take a step back and let each other live in peace, okay? ”

Mu Chen's breathing paused, and he didn't say anything for a long time, before he whispered, "What do you want?" ”

Qingling said: "I won't remarry, and I won't be with anyone else, if you don't like me, I'm always thinking about the hatred of the past, and I can completely let go of it from now on." After a pause, "Actually, after the last time Yuxiu and Xi'er fought, I figured it out, I can't always let the people around me live uncomfortably because of my own obsessions." ”

Mu Chen lowered his eyes and said a faint "um".

Qing Ling continued: "But it's also for the sake of the child, I can't care about face. I'm not a member of the Chaoyan clan now, and it really doesn't make sense if I still live in the Chengji Palace. Turning his head to look at Mu Chen, his tone firm, "So...... I want to move outside the palace. ”

Mu Chen raised his eyes and stared at Qing Ling.

In the dark and deep eyes, there are too many feelings that she can't see clearly.

"At the end of the day,"

He pulled the corner of his lower lip self-deprecatingly, "You still want to escape." ”

Qingling said: "It's not to escape, it's to keep a proper distance from you." ”

"The distance?"

Mu Chen's tone suddenly turned cold, and he reached out to hold Qing Ling's arm and pulled her towards him, "How far should you be between me and me?" ”

Qing Ling raised his head slightly, and his chin twitched in the direction of Meiyuan, "Through the eyes of all the people of Chaoyan, across the courtesy, righteousness and shame, and across your queen and concubine, you can calculate for yourself, how far can you go!" ”

Mu Chen's gaze was momentary, and he only wrenched Qing Ling, as if her words had no effect.

He said word by word: "I did not hesitate to stain my hands with the blood of my loved ones, and walked to today's position step by step, in order to be able to ignore the eyes of others and fearlessly trample on the dignity and shame of courtesy, righteousness and shame!" If I don't even have the ability to defend you, then what do I want this throne for? Not to mention ......"

He stopped talking, his eyes complicated.

Qing Ling stroked Mu Chen's hand holding his arm, looked at him, and tried to control his tone, "But you never have to guard me." Mu Chen, don't you understand that I have always been by your side and have never thought of turning my back on you? ”

The clouds cover the moon, and the stars are sparse and the wind moves.

For a moment, Mu Chen's thoughts froze and dazed, and in another moment, they were stuffed with soft silk cotton.

He couldn't remember how long it had been, and Qing Ling hadn't said such things to him in such a tone.

A hint of longing, rising and falling, erratic and uncontrollable.

He hesitated, "But you know, I want more than just ......"

Qing Ling cut him off, "I can't give you what you want!" I can't give it if I kill it. ”

She leaned into Mu Chen's arms and snuggled him tightly, "But we are still the closest people in the world, aren't we?" For the sake of your world and your ideals, I can still do whatever it takes. Just as I said to Fang Shanlei back then, you are not only my brother and ally, but also the person I value and care about the most in this life. But I will do my best to stop anything that is harmful to you, even if my hands are stained with blood, even if it hurts the innocent! ”

Mu Chen's body froze, and he subconsciously grabbed Qing Ling's hands and trembled slightly.

Qing Ling continued, "For so many years, I have always put your interests first. I have never held a grudge against you, whether it was the things you deceived me about the past, or the things that happened to my father or the city of the wind. Even Yu'er was deprived of her due title and surname by you, and I didn't mess with you! You ask yourself, am I not good enough for you? ”

Mu Chen's voice was bitterly suppressed, "Qingling...... You're pushing me ......"

"You're pushing me!"

Qing Ling tightened the clothes on his waist, "If you really care for me, just like the promise you made to me at the top of Zhangguo Peak back then, no matter whether you are rich or poor, you will regard me as the person you value the most in this life, please don't force me again!" ”

She took a breath, suppressed her emotions, and tried to soften herself, "We're still getting along like before, okay?" ”

Mu Chen closed his eyes, and his black eyelashes fluttered slightly.

These days, only he knows the self-pity and cowardice in his heart, the occasional crazy thoughts, and the occasional crazy thoughts.

He was so scared of losing Qingling that he didn't know how to keep her.

The thread pinched in his hand did not dare to loosen or pull tightly. Take a step back, I'm afraid that she will stay away again, but further, I'm afraid

There's no room for turnaround.

He now sits on the world, and he no longer needs to hide his strong and arrogant side as before.

But whatever he wants, he can't and shouldn't get!

But on the contrary, the only thing that can crush all his resoluteness and toughness is her gentle and obedient plea in such a low voice!

She is so soft that his heart is happy, and his eyes are full of pity.

Even if you know that you will regret it, and you know that there is a lot of hypocrisy in it, you are still reluctant to refuse!

After a long time, Mu Chen heard his own voice sounding faintly: "You really won't remarry, you won't be with someone else, you won't leave me?" ”

"Seriously."

"Seriously...... Am I still the person you value and care about the most in this life? ”

"Seriously."

"That'...... What about Baili Fuyao? ”

Qing Ling was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "No matter how good he is, he is no longer there." ”

When Mu Chen heard this, he also fell silent.

He raised his hand and stroked Qing Ling's long hair, only to feel that his mind was like the green silk between his fingers, and he couldn't figure it out at all.

The incense in the carved dragon pattern copper tripod spreads in the night breeze, sending bursts of familiar sweetness.

Qing Ling tilted his head slightly, burying his face deeper between Mu Chen's arms, and hiding the tears under the corners of his eyes without a trace.

～～

Mu Chen didn't let Qing Ling take Xuanxin Lu anymore.

After a few days, her strength gradually recovered, and her movements were no longer as weak as before, and her complexion slowly became ruddy. Between the eyebrows and eyes, there is still gentleness, and there is no longer the kind of ruthless ferocity that made Mu Chen feel frightened and stinging.

The man who screamed in pain and lost control of his madness for the sake of the man who died was finally at peace.

As she had done a long time ago, she changed into a long dress with delicate color, her complexion was better than snow, her black hair was lightly pulled, and her smile was innocent.

Occasionally, Mu Chen passed by the garden on the side of the palace, and saw her getting along with Yu'er from a distance, and there was a moment of confusion.

A hundred years of time seem to have never passed.

She is still the girl in the dazzling red dress standing under the dazzling Maze Valley tree.

She looked at him, the smile on her lips was pure, but her posture was a little cramped, and her clear eyes flashed with stubborn wisdom.

A few words crossed his mind, creating a soft and subtle feeling.

The peach and plum are full of romance......

Isn't this what he's always wanted?

A few days later, Mu Chen issued a decree to order her to move out of the Vermilion Bird Palace and into the Emperor's Mansion where she once lived in Lingxiao City, on the grounds that Qingling was now naturalized by the Zhanggu clan.

According to reason, Qingling, who has now received the title of Xuannu, should move to Zhanggu Holy Mountain and inherit the family legacy. But one is that her body still needs to be recuperated, and the other is that Yuxiu still stays by Mu Chen's side. What's more, moving to Lingxiao City was the farthest distance Mu Chen could allow, and she was far away from him.

And Qingling also knows that this is the maximum freedom she can get for herself at present.

In fact, she should have figured out a long time ago that every confrontation between her and Mu Chen, every time she fought hard, she never won.

No matter how much she struggles, mocks, and even hurts each other, she can't match his desperate ruthlessness and scheming.

All she can do is back down and compromise......

Qing Ling returned to the mansion where he had lived with Luo Yao, looking around at the familiar and unfamiliar scenery, his heart was full of bitterness and resentment, but there was no one to confide in.

She still has to go to the Vermilion Bird Palace every day to greet Mu Chen, and the people who serve around her are still the henchmen personally selected by the emperor.

But after all, I have a little freedom in travel, and I can occasionally have some contacts with some "close friends" in the past, chatting about new things inside and outside.

On the surface, she is still the Emperor Yan of Chaoyan, who is high up and favored by His Majesty, and whose status even surpasses that of Queen Shiyin.

However, deep down, the uncontrollable ruthlessness that wants to destroy everything, like a fire suppressed by reason, is still sealed in her body.

Sooner or later, there will be flames.