Xiaoqiu was ordered by Zhiying to find Mama Zhang in the imperial garden, but did not let them go back to Yaohua Palace to rest, but carried Xiao Shujin to the platform.

Outside the platform, the maids sent by Zhong Luhuan were already waiting, and when they saw them coming from a distance, they turned around and went in to report.

Zhong Luhuan got the news, excused herself for not being able to drink, she wanted to go out for a walk, got up to say goodbye, Cui Yi knew that the time was ripe, so she said: "It's not too early, let's go back and rest." ”

Everyone got up to say goodbye, and when they were about to leave in turn, Cui Yi said again: "Gongqi, you stay." Yang Qiong didn't know what to do, so she had to answer yes, and after everyone was gone, Fang stepped forward and asked: "The emperor left the last general, but what else do you have to say?" ”

Cui Yi said straight to the point: "What are your plans in the future?" ”

Yang Qiong was silent, and Cui Yi said again: "This time the Western Expedition swept away the remnants of the previous dynasty, I didn't plan to send you there, but you took the initiative to ask Ying, do you plan to go back to the capital this time?" Or do you think that there are no eyes on the battlefield, and people die, and they will be gone? ”

"Your Majesty," Yang Qiong's voice was bitter, "The emperor is discerning, and the last general will implore the emperor to fulfill it." ”

Cui Yi sighed and said: "Gongqi, I have always felt that you are a good man who is loyal to the liver and courage, but this loyalty and righteousness are not the whole of life. You have handcuffed yourself too tightly, and you have looked ahead and backward in everything, lest you do something wrong and leave you infamous and lose the face of your ancestors and ancestors. ”

"But have you ever thought that the ancestors and the ancestors are already dead people after all, and the biggest advantage of the dead is that they will not jump out of the coffin and point their noses and scold you when you do something wrong."

Yang Qiong: "......" The corners of her mouth twitched for a while, and she couldn't help asking: "The latter sentence wasn't taught by the queen, right?" ”

Cui Yi glared angrily: "Yang Gongqi! ”

Yang Qiong hurriedly lowered his head: "The last general has transgressed, please atone for the emperor." ”

Cui Yi exhaled and said: "Sometimes I feel that Baili Wenyu is really not a thing, and the words I say are simply looking for a beating, looking for death, but I have to admit that what he said is right, and I have to do what he says." At this point, you have to learn from him, the husband is in the world, there are things to do and things not to do, some things that seem to be deviant, in fact, are not necessarily bad, sometimes the peaks and turns, but the achievement of a good story, just like when I wanted to rebel, you did not approve, but in the end I sat on the dragon chair, you also became a hero, famous in history, it can be seen that the right and wrong in this world are not absolute. ”

Yang Qiong took a cool breath, and a sour feeling welled up in her nose.

"As long as a bad thing is done well, it will also become a good thing, and I am the best example of this."

Cui Yi waved his hand: "That's what I want to say, you can go back too, the winter night is long, if you can't sleep, just think about what I just said to you." ”

Yang Qiong was full of sadness, hugged her fists and bowed deeply, turned around and retreated.

There was a little eunuch waiting at the door, and when he saw him come out, he stepped forward and said, "General Yang, please come here." Yang Qiong was preoccupied, and she didn't think much about it, so she followed him.

The place not far from the platform is to listen to the incense fang, a clear spring trickles down, the red plum on the bank is like blood, scattered into the cold wind, and goes away by the water, it is a great beauty in the winter in the palace.

In the plum forest, Zhong Luhuan was holding Xiao Shujin and looking at plum blossoms. Since returning from Gong County, Zhong Luhuan went to Cheng's house every day to take care of Cheng Fengyi's mother and daughter, Xiao Shujin was young and defenseless, and someone was good to him, so he was naturally close to Zhong Luhuan, which was better than his mother's kiss.

"Look, how beautiful plum blossoms are." Zhong Luhuan picked a branch and shook it in front of Xiao Shujin's eyes, Xiao Shujin smiled and reached out to grab it.

Yang Qiong followed the little eunuch from Tingxiangfang and saw them from a distance, one big and one small, admiring the plum blossoms, and couldn't help but stop.

He hadn't seen Xiao Shujin, but those who could be held by Zhong Luhuan to play in the imperial garden, except for the princess Cui Xian, could only be Cheng Fengyi's daughter. Driven by an inexplicable emotion, he walked into Tingxiangfang along the fork in the road, wanting to see Cheng Fengyi and Zhai Rang's daughter.

Zhong Luhuan heard the footsteps, deliberately pretended to say casually, "Auntie will take you over there to have a look", turned a plum tree that was in full bloom, and took a look at Yang Qiong.

"Why is General Yang here?" Zhong Luhuan asked with a smile.

Yang Qiong didn't answer, just looked at the child in her arms, and Zhong Luhuan explained: "This is Sister Cheng's daughter, Shu Jin, Jin'er, call Uncle Yang quickly." ”

Xiao Shujin was wrapped in an orange fox fur jacket, holding a plum blossom in his hand, and his voice was soft and glutinous: "Uncle Yang." ”

Yang Qiong couldn't help but smile, reached out and gently touched the child's face.

Zhong Luhuan continued to coax: "Jin'er, my aunt's hands are sore, is it okay for Uncle Yang to hold you for a while?" ”

Xiao Shujin blinked, hesitated, nodded, and Zhong Luhuan was about to hand her out.

Yang Qiong hurriedly waved her hand: "This ...... I haven't held a child...... "No one is born to hold a child," Zhong Luhuan couldn't help but smile, "General Yang will help me take care of her for a while, and I'll come back when I go, soon." ”

Helpless, Yang Qiong had no choice but to reach out and hug Xiao Shujin over. The three-year-old girl's body was soft and light, Yang Qiong was afraid that she would be uncomfortable with her, so she didn't dare to move after taking it, but Xiao Shujin was very comfortable with the encounter, sat on his arm, and handed over the plum blossom in his hand: "To uncle." ”

"Well, thank you." Yang Qiong took it and touched her little head lovingly.

Zhong Luhuan snickered in her stomach and said, "Auntie will go and get you some red dates and candied fruit, and Jin'er will play with Uncle Yang for a while." ”

Xiao Shujin nodded: "Okay." ”

Zhong Luhuan completed the task and happily disappeared.

The little eunuch didn't know when he left, and only Yang Qiong was left holding Xiao Shujin in the Xiangfang, and the two of them stood under the plum tree.

Yang Qiong had never taken care of a child, she didn't know what to say or do at all, she stood still like a piece of wood, Xiao Shujin looked left and right, and found something interesting, so she pulled his collar: "Uncle, go over there." ”

Listening to the upstream of the incense spring, I don't know who put a few lotus lanterns, a short candle placed in the center of the flower, the lotus lantern slowly floated with the water, the candle flame swayed, adding a little warmth to this quiet and cold winter night.

Needless to say, it was also ordered by Zhiying to prepare Xiaoqiu in advance.

"Okay, Uncle will take you over to see it." Yang Qiong was worried and didn't know what to do, so she hugged Xiao Shujin and walked upstream.

The lotus lanterns swirled and swayed in the water, and each one emitted a pink light, and Xiao Shu Jin looked at it intently: "It's so beautiful!" ”

Yang Qiong stretched out her hand and took down a handful of plum blossom petals from the branch, and scattered them in the wind, the bright red petals fell one after another, dotted on the lotus lamp, more and more beautiful, Xiao Shujin suddenly became energetic: "I want it too, I want it too!" Yang Qiong lifted her up and asked her to pick the petals.

Not far away, Zhiying was wandering in the Imperial Garden.

"My sister should usually go out for a walk......

Cheng Fengyi was still listless, followed her for a slow walk along the stone road, led her to the water's edge without a trace, and then pretended to be surprised: "Oh, who made this lotus lantern?" ”

Several lotus lanterns floated in, and Cheng Fengyi looked in the direction of the current: "It seems to have flowed from that side." ”

The two went upriver and entered the plum forest, Cheng Fengyi looked at the plum blossoms that were as red as clouds, and couldn't help but be amazed: "The plum blossoms here are blooming well." Zhiying echoed: "There is such a beautiful place in the palace, I didn't know it." ”

Suddenly, there was a child's laughter in front of her, and there was a man's whispered voice, Cheng Fengyi took a few steps forward suspiciously, and behind the plum tree that blocked her vision, the scene in front of her made her almost forget to breathe.

Xiao Shujin held a large number of petals in both hands, cheered and threw them towards the flowing water lanterns, laughing like bells, and Yang Qiong, who was holding her, also smiled rarely, and from time to time held Xiao Shujin's armpits, lifted her up to reach the plum blossoms on the higher branches.

It was as if a young father was playing with his young daughter, intimate with each other, and the daughter was like a lively bird, shaking her body and urging her father to move forward, and the father's eyes were full of love, and he was obedient to the child, making exaggerated noises to amuse her.

They ran around in the merlin, playing hide and seek, Xiao Shujin fell down and got up several times, laughing and screaming, Yang Qiong chased after her, deliberately almost didn't catch her every time, the two of them had a lot of fun, and they didn't notice that there were people nearby.

Cheng Fengyi stood under the tree and watched from afar, looking at it stupidly, without even noticing that his eyes were gradually moistening.

"Sister......" Zhiying stepped forward and was about to speak, but Cheng Fengyi immediately made a silent gesture.

Xiao Shujin was tired of running, and was finally caught by Yang Qiong, laughing so much that tears flowed out while struggling, Yang Qiong picked her up like a chicken, lifted her above her head, and let her ride on her neck.

Zhiying took her shoulders and said softly, "Look, Jin'er and General Yang have a lot of fun, you shouldn't always avoid her, Jin'er was conceived and born in October, and her flesh and blood are connected, but because you have been separated for a long time, she will be unfamiliar, as long as you accompany her more, she will naturally be close to you." ”

"Pick a few branches that bloom well, bring them back to your mother......" Yang Qiong's voice gradually faded away, one large and one small disappeared into the depths of the plum forest.

Cheng Fengyi had tears in her eyes and nodded: "Okay." ”

Not long after the two returned to Yaohua Palace, Xiao Shujin came back accompanied by Mama, holding a few blooming red plums in his hand, and walked in hesitantly under the urging of Mama.

Seeing this, Zhiying immediately greeted with a smile: "Jin'er is back?" What's in your hand? ”

Xiao Shujin timidly stepped forward, looked at Zhiying, and then stood in front of Cheng Fengyi and handed out the plum branch: "Mother, ......"

Cheng Fengyi slowly squatted down, his eyes flashing with complicated emotions, staring at the young daughter in front of him, Xiao Shujin stammered again: "Uncle Yang...... Let me pick the flowers...... Come back and give it to my mother......"

Cheng Fengyi smiled slightly, gently touched her cheek, and asked softly, "Does Jin'er like Uncle Yang?" ”

Xiao Shujin nodded without hesitation: "I like it." ”

Cheng Fengyi asked again: "Then Uncle Yang often plays with Jin'er, okay?" ”

Xiao Shujin immediately burst into joy: "Okay, good!" didn't laugh for a while, and showed a sad expression again: "In the past, my father also played with Jin'er, and my grandfather ...... Mother, is Daddy dead? ”

Cheng Fengyi was taken aback by her words, and hurriedly said: "Jin'er, don't talk nonsense, your father is fine, how could he die?" ”

"However, my father doesn't play with Jin'er anymore, and I don't come to see Jin'er," Xiao Shujin's eyes were red, and he said with a pout, "Grandpa is the same, he doesn't play with Jin'er, and then he disappears, and Dad said that grandpa is dead, so he won't come to see Jin'er anymore......"

Cheng Fengyi's heart swelled with endless sadness for a while, and she said softly: "When I came back in February last year, I heard the maid of Cheng's mansion say that Cheng Lao was sick and had not been well, I followed the prescription given by my sister before, and asked people to grab the medicine, I thought that Cheng Lao would get better, but who knew that he was ...... for us."

Xiao Shujin wiped the corners of Cheng Fengyi's eyes with his little hand: "Mother...... Don't be upset......"

Cheng Fengyi held back her tears and said with a smile: "Mother is not sad, mother and Jin'er, Jin'er is good, this plum blossom is so beautiful, let's take it home and insert it in the bottle, okay?" ”

Xiao Shujin nodded, Cheng Fengyi opened her arms, Xiao Shujin leaned on her arms, two arms around her neck, rubbed her forehead on Cheng Fengyi's sideburns, and comforted her silently.