At noon, when the sun was at its strongest, the news that the envoys of Western Chu would come to envoy Beiyan in late April reached the study of the palace.

At this time, Xia Ran was also in the upper study.

After Yan Heng read the news, he handed it directly to Xia Ran with great trust.

"Aiqing, let's see, what is the purpose of Xi Chu's coming this time?"

Xia Ran respectfully caught it, and after looking at it twice, he half-bowed and arched his hand.

"Please forgive your majesty for being stupid, the minister really doesn't know."

Yan Heng's eyes flashed with calculation, but his face did not change.

He was trying to protect himself.

Blindly seeking self-protection in everything is naturally not a good quality for the community.

But for the next thing he wants to explain, it is naturally beneficial and harmless.

He snapped and closed his eyes.

"This Xichu has just finished sending out Dongyan, and within two months, he will come to Beiyan again, and he will really come to the left and right."

Xia Ran chuckled.

"Xichu is just a small country, so there is nothing to be afraid of."

A guy who only wants to protect himself, can say this, although it should be flattering, but it is not easy.

Moreover, this sentence won Yan Heng's heart.

He scoffed, his eyes full of disdain.

The territory of Western Chu is small and located in the wilderness.

"Not to be afraid of."

Xia Ran nodded respectfully.

As long as Yan Heng doesn't speak, he will always be submissive.

But Yan Heng was also tired and panicked when he looked at him like this.

"Hood, move a chair for Lord Xia to sit down."

Xia Ran arched his hand again, "The minister doesn't dare, the minister can stand." ”

Yan Heng still motioned for Hood to move the chair.

Turning his head, his sly gaze met Xia Ran's sincere and terrified eyes.

"It's still very early, I still have important things to discuss with Lord Xia, and after that, I will leave Lord Xia to eat in the palace, can Lord Xia appreciate his face?"

As soon as he heard this, Xia Ran quickly lifted the hem of his clothes and knelt down.

Lie on your stomach with your hands on the ground.

"The old minister doesn't dare!"

Yan Heng looked at the kneeling man coldly, and casually told him to get up.

He just likes to see others surrender to his feet, and prefers to see everyone afraid of him.

But occasionally, he would think that he would never be able to find that person who didn't know the height of the sky.

Ye Dang is dead, and the news that Qiancheng has sent Dongshen is not complete, I don't know if she is really in Dongshen.

If it weren't for that, how could Prince Ember disappear at the same time, and before, they seemed to have a good relationship.

Seeing that Yan Heng seemed to be thinking of something, Xia Ran didn't dare to disturb, and only sat on the mahogany chair and was restrained.

In the past few days, the emperor either called him, or asked the imperial historian Zhang Ning to accompany him in the palace.

There is also a lot of speculation in the outside world, and the candidates must be Xia Shuying and Zhang Xianpin.

When the time comes, they will be included in the palace, and it is not certain.

But Xia Ran felt selfishly that it was good to be used by the emperor.

If the daughter enters the palace, the Xia family will naturally be in full swing.

But at the same time, the entire Xia family and Xia Shuying's favor are implicated in a thread.

One is prosperous, and one is lost.

Yan Heng came back to his senses and asked himself.

"It's about to be."

Xia Ran leaned forward quickly.

"What did the emperor say?"

These words also really pulled Yan Heng back from the thoughts of nostalgia for the past.

He shook his head slightly, his eyebrows full of sorrow, and a helpless smile on his lips.

"Perhaps, it's time for me to take on a queen."

Xia Ran's eyes fluttered, and he quickly got up and bowed.

"Chen Dou dares to suggest that His Majesty choose those who can take on the task from among the beauties of the harem."

This sentence is also a disguised way to cut off his daughter's future.

Yan Heng naturally knew what he was thinking.

Of course, it is good to become a queen, but it is a pity that most of the queens of Beiyan have no good end.

As a father, I still feel sorry for my daughter.

"You sit."

Yan Heng said.

"I called you here today, but it's just a common thing."

didn't get a response from Yan Heng, Xia Ran had to hesitate and sit down again tremblingly.

Yan Heng knew that he was unwilling, but he invited him over today, not for the sake of who could be the queen.

"In a few days, Uncle Huang will return to the city."

He said seemingly nonchalantly.

But Xia Ran desperately tried to figure out the intention from his words, but unfortunately, he didn't understand the meaning.

Yan Heng sighed softly, "Aiqing, you also know why I am in such a hurry to choose someone. ”

Although the news spreads, most of them are that the emperor wants to choose a concubine.

But he just used this as a false flicker, lest Qiancheng never know about it and resign.

Avoid this trouble, if Xia Shuying or Zhang Xian can be used by him.

Then the days after that will be much better.

Even people like Xia Ran would feel it.

The emperor personally chose the princess for Qiancheng, and it was a relationship of affection.

Therefore, Xia Ran said respectfully, "Your Majesty's holy grace naturally takes care of the prince. ”

But Yan Heng changed his attitude and became stern.

"Aiqing, you are wrong."

Xia Ran raised his head in a daze, and was making eye contact with Yan Heng.

And in the eyes of the other side, it is clear that he wants to convey something.

In recent years, there have also been many messages among the courtiers.

It is said that the emperor and the regent have not been on good terms for a long time.

Don't......

Xia Ran suddenly took a breath of cold air and suddenly realized.

Standing up, he held his hand and said, "Does Your Majesty mean ......?"

Yan Heng didn't care whether he understood or not, he just talked to himself.

"Although I am close to the emperor's uncle, I am the lord of a country after all, the regent, and the word regent really gives me a headache."

As he spoke, he put one hand on his forehead and made a sad gesture.

Xia Ran tried his best to understand that what he was thinking was exactly what the emperor wanted to say.

It turned out that he personally chose his wife for Qiancheng, but he was not affectionate, but he just wanted to find someone to watch him.

It seems that the rumors in the DPRK are still true.

"The minister will live up to His Majesty's trust, if His Majesty chooses Shuying to be the regent princess, in the future, the Xia family will definitely do their best for His Majesty, and then die!"

He spoke as if he had foreseen that day.

But as long as he got his words, Yan Heng would be much easier.

He pretended to be moved and got up, and hurriedly stepped forward to help the hunched old minister Xia Ran.

"Aiqing, worthy of being my right-hand man! In this case, I have no worries. ”

"In the future, no matter whether Ling Ai can become the regent princess or not, this Xia family will definitely protect it in the future."

He said sincerely, and Xia Ran was also a little moved.

After everything that needs to be said is said, Yan Heng has nothing to worry about.

"Aiqing, although you will go to Funing Hall for dinner together, it is not too late to go back after eating."

He was sincere.

Where is there a reason to ask someone to do things for you if you don't leave anyone to eat.

Even a king should be a little jealous.

Xia Ran nodded respectfully, "That minister is better than obeying his orders if he is respectful." ”

When it was almost sunset, Xia Ran returned home from the palace.

Mrs. Xia was really anxious, she couldn't sit still, she couldn't stand.

Even with it, Xia Shuying and several brothers and sisters were in a hurry.

But Xia Shuying was always a little puzzled in her heart.

If the emperor really wants to choose a concubine to enter the palace, she and Zhang Xian have to be hired, so why did he detain his father in the palace.

"Master, the master is back!"

The little guy hurriedly came over to report the news, and he almost couldn't say everything.

As soon as the words fell, Mrs. Xia was supported by Xia Shuying, and several brothers and sisters also hurried to the courtyard to greet her.

"Master, master, you are back!" Mrs. Xia's tears dripped down directly.

On weekdays, he is a dignified and virtuous person, but today he has to shed tears in front of this group of juniors.

I was really worried about Xia Ran's comfort.

Xia Ran saw his wife like this, but his heart was full of doubts.

"What? No one has come back to tell you that I had lunch with Your Majesty in the palace? ”

He held the crumbling Mrs. Xia and explained.

Xia Shuying's eyes widened, but she didn't speak.

It was the eldest brother Xia Zhiyuan who opened his mouth.

"No, only the little servant waited at the gate of the palace after noon, and then hurriedly came back to report that you hadn't come out yet, father."

got up early to go to the court, but was left in the palace by the emperor.

This big family is naturally afraid.

Now, the Xia family relies on Xia Ran's official position to gain a foothold in this imperial capital.

If something happens to Xia Ran, this big family will ......

Seeing that the family was so anxious, Xia Ran naturally felt that something was wrong.

If the emperor only left people in the palace to eat, he would definitely send someone to inform him at home, or inform the servant at the door.

This time, Yan Heng didn't say a word.

Thinking of something, he pretended to be calm.

"It's just that you forgot it for a while, and there are some of them, so don't worry."

After saying that, he turned his head to look at Mrs. Xia beside him.

"Madam, you are also tired, go eat something and rest first, I have something to say to the shadow."

Xia Shuying glanced at her father and always felt that things were not good.

When they had left, his father called him into his study, leaving no one with him.

"Father, do you have any commands?"

Xia Ran was sorting out the books on the table, thinking about how to speak.

But he, a smart daughter, had already asked first.

In the past few days, she has obeyed her orders, and she has also acted dignified in this house.

So he still has high hopes for his daughter.

"Ying'er, my father wants to tell you something today, you must not tell anyone, otherwise, my Xia family may not survive."

Although the tone is indifferent, the words are heavy.

Xia Shuying didn't know what it was to make her father say such serious things.

"But what do you want Shadow to do? If you can keep the Xia family safe, the shadow is as sweet as food. ”

She said it with the same sincerity, her crescent-like eyes twinkling and clear.

She was only a teenager in her cardamom years, but she had to endure such a thing.

Xia Ran lowered his head, not letting people see the sadness and reluctance in his eyes.

is his eldest daughter, but he loves the most.

If you enter the palace, you may not see each other for a few years.

Now you don't need to enter the palace, but you still have to become the emperor's meticulous work.

This job is really more difficult than being a concubine in the palace and calculating with people all day long.

"Ying'er, actually, you don't need to enter the palace to become a concubine."

Sooner or later, it's all about making it clear.

He looked up at his daughter with a shocked expression.