……

Mei Niang sat in place in a daze, watching a game on the chessboard.

Ryan looked at the timepiece, stepped forward and said softly:

"Sister, it's time to get close to the son. Or...... Let's go to bed early! ”

Mei Niang nodded silently. got up and walked two steps in the direction of the dormitory, and suddenly turned around again, looking at Ryan with bright eyes:

"Ryan, where did Your Majesty go?"

"Back to my sister, it seems that I went to the Splendid Palace."

Mei Niang looked at the moonlight outside the hall, hesitated for a while, and then said, "Splendid Palace?" ”

Ryan nodded.

Biting her lower lip, Mei Niang resolutely said, "Take my silver coat." ”

Ryan was stunned, but finally went.

……

When Mei Niang left Yanjia Hall with Ryan, Xu Hui quietly appeared where Mei Niang was standing.

After her complexion changed a few times, she finally sighed and turned around to enter, but unexpectedly saw a game on the board.

For a while, Wen Niang saw that her face was first shocked and then panicked, then frightened, and finally, finally relieved.

"Mother? What's wrong? ”

"It's okay......" Xu Hui stretched out his hand, wanting to mess up the chess game in the game, thought about it for a while, finally sighed and put down his hand, turned his head and whispered a few words to Wen Niang.

Wen Niang understood, so she walked away lightly.

Xu Hui stood alone in the hall, looking at the moonlight outside the hall.

……

A moment later.

In the Temple of Manna.

Li Zhi, who was woken up by De'an, who quietly entered the hall, said that he had heard the man's name for the first time.

But when he was sure again, he jumped up with joy, walked back and forth, took his new clothes and shoes, and carefully arranged the jade belt, and then put on a silver coat, and as De'an carefully avoided the eyes and ears, he walked towards the Yunze Hall in front of the northernmost inner gate of Taiji Palace.

There was peace in the Yunze Palace. The moonlight passed through the corridor of the temple, sprinkling the bluestone brilliance on the ground like a blue wave.

A silver figure stood on the bluestone ground. There was also a waiter standing next to him who hugged the white jade whisk.

It's her.

Li Zhi's heart jumped for a while, but after all, he still didn't make too many movements, just slowly went up the hall corridor, stood behind the woman, and said softly:

"I thought...... You won't see me again. Sister Wu. ”

Mei Niang turned around and smiled faintly at Li Zhi:

"You're here."

The two stood together for a long time, and Li Zhi was about to speak again, but Wen Meiniang smiled faintly and said:

"Speaking of which, Your Majesty came today and played a game of chess with Mei Niang."

Li Zhi heard Mei Niang's words, he didn't know what he meant, he was stunned, and he heard her smile again:

"Mei Niang lost quite badly. So I thought...... Isn't Mei Niang's chess student? That's why I came to you......

Don't you blame it? ”

When Li Zhi heard this, he recalled that back then, he and Mei Niang played at night across the court, and his heart was soft, so he said:

"Okay."

……

Chess is down.

Because of the bright moonlight, Li Zhi did not allow anyone to light up the palace lamp, but only placed the chess set under the hall corridor.

Every time he drops a son, he secretly glances at Mei Niang, who is sitting in the moonlight.

Mei Niang seemed to be unconscious, and only fell quietly.

After a while, Mei Niang spoke:

"In recent days, the matter of the DPRK and China has made a big fuss! I heard that yesterday, an official of the lower five grades who proposed to appoint King Wu as the crown prince was reported that he had ignored military discipline and lingered in Zhangtai (referring to **) before His Majesty's expedition to Mobei in the past, and as a result, the military plane was delayed......

Later, what did His Majesty do with him? ”

Li Zhi thought about it for a while, but said with a smile:

"You mean Xu Jingzong in the matter? Truly...... It's ridiculous. However, his father ignored him and just demoted his official. ”

Mei Niang thought about it for a while, and then said:

"If that's the case, then this person has some ability -- he can't even do anything to him."

Li Zhi was stunned and asked, "How do you say this?" ”

"Your Majesty is wise, and you should be able to see that these Xu Jingzong and others are just villains...... If it were someone else, then Your Majesty would definitely have made up his mind to cut it off.

But this Xu Jingzong was never beheaded. Come to think of it, he must have something great about him. ”

Li Zhi squinted and thought about it for a long time before he sighed softly:

"Yes...... He seems to have written two records to flatter his father...... And he is very talented. And it's even more ......"

Li Zhi was silent.

Mei Niang smiled: "And it is even more whitewashed with fragrant flower butter powder, so as not to teach people to know the truth of the Xuanwu affair back then......

Isn't it? ”

Li Zhi's face was slightly red, but he didn't say anything.

Mei Niang nodded, and then sighed: "But you can't blame Your Majesty......

Now, he has everything, but he has never been able to get what he desires the most. ”

Li Zhi was silent.

Mei Niang continued:

"Your Majesty's greatest wish now is probably to be able to see the so-called curse in his lifetime, and it will never come true?"

Li Zhi raised his head and looked at Mei Niang:

"My sister said these things...... But it seems to have another meaning. ”

Mei Niang lowered her head, looked at the chessboard, and said softly for a long time:

"Childish slave...... You don't want to be the prince, do you? ”

Li Zhi put down the chess pieces and sighed softly:

"You're still ...... after all Just like everyone else. ”

His expression was full of pity.

Mei Niang looked at him:

"That's right, Mei Niang is like someone else. But do you know why? ”

Li Zhi smiled faintly and bitterly:

"It's just for my father not to be sad...... For the sake of my ascension to the throne, I may keep my brothers safe...... These? ”

Mei Niang nodded, and said:

"If you already know, why are you running away?"

"I never wanted to be an emperor. I didn't want it before, I don't want it now, and I don't want it in the future......

The burden of this Tang Dynasty is too heavy, I really can't afford it, and I don't want to carry it. ”

With a flick of the sleeves of his robe, Li Zhi got up, stopped playing chess, and just stood by the corridor.

Mei Niang got up and looked at his back:

"So you're going to watch your brother kill each other? Watching His Majesty suffer all his life? Looking at the queen mother in the spirit of heaven is not at peace? ”

Li Zhi was silent.

After a long time, Mei Niang turned around silently and wanted to leave.

Li Zhi turned his head, looked at her, and said softly:

"I'm sorry Sister Wu...... I just can't ......."

"Your Majesty has made a promise to me."

Mei Niang said lightly, without looking back:

"When the eldest grandson queen is taboo for ten years, he will definitely go out of the palace without luck. Then I can leave.

Childish slave, whether you believe it or not, Sister Wu only hopes that before I leave the palace, I can watch you well, step by step to the safest place, and live without worry. ”

Worry-free.

Li Zhi's heart was like being slammed with a hammer, and it seemed to have been poured into a whole barrel of wine, and he was drunk.

"You ......"

Li Zhi's voice seemed to be cut off by something, and as soon as it sounded, it stopped again.

Mei Niang just didn't say anything. After a long time, he said:

"After all, you gave me a dragon pattern jade to bless me with peace.

Now I'm safe.

So it's time for me to repay you for the gift of jade. ”

"But isn't it more dangerous for me to be in the position of the crown prince?"

"There is Uncle Guo, there is Fang Xiang, and Li Ji...... Most importantly, I know that you don't put yourself in danger. ”

Mei Niang turned around slowly and looked at Li Zhi, her eyes bright:

"Child, you know better than anyone else that this Tang Dynasty Prince, the position of the next generation of the country's lord, from the very beginning, is the most suitable for it......

You've just been reluctant to admit it, you've been reluctant to admit it......"

Li Zhi turned sideways, put his hand on Mei Niang, hung his head for a long time, looked at the ground and said:

"I don't want to...... Xu disappointed his sister.

I really don't want to. Sister, that's ......

If the slave really has such ability, it means that I am not the prince, and I can keep your brothers safe. If the young slave does not have this ability, then he will sit on the throne of the prince, and he will not be able to protect the brothers. ”

Then, turning around, his eyes were like a clear sky on a snowy night, looking at the starry light in Mei Niang's eyes......

For a long time, for a long time.

The two looked at each other.

The wind blew Mei Niang's cloud silk and brushed the green silk on her cheeks.

The moonlight shone on Li Zhiyu's face.

For a long time, for a long time.

……

After all, Mei Niang still sighed and asked gently:

"What if it's for me?

If......

In order for me to leave the palace in the future, I don't have to worry about anyone from the palace, what about Heian I? ”

Li Zhi's eyes were slightly dark:

"You really want to ......"

"I pray only for peace. I am in peace. In the palace, I will not have this peace. That's why I have no choice but to go out. ”

Li Zhi earnestly:

"But what about Sister Xu?"

"She'll be fine. Now without Merriam-Webster, she'll be fine. Whether Yang Shufei is dead or deposed, she will be fine - Yang Shufei is dead, she is safe. Concubine Yang Shu is gone, and she will be safe. ”

Li Zhi gritted his teeth:

"Where's my father? You...... Don't you love him? ”

"Mei Niang respects Your Majesty."

Li Zhi's eyes lit up slightly, and then became even more gloomy:

"So...... For you, there is no love in the palace? ”

"It's the same outside the palace - but it's always safer outside the palace in comparison. Far from the center of this power struggle, I just eat, and it tastes much sweeter.

In fact, I should be grateful for a part of my life in this palace...... I have seen a lot and understood a lot......

At least, surviving outside the palace in the future, I will have no worries for the rest of my life. ”

Li Zhi's gaze was silent after all:

"What you want......

Just a lifetime of worry-free? ”

"Of course not......" Mei Niang smiled lowly, bitter and astringent:

"But now, that's all I want."

Li Zhi looked at her for a long time, and finally turned to leave.

Mei Niang looked at him with a keen gaze.

Li Zhi seemed to have sensed something, slowly stopped, was in the obscure hall, and said softly after a while:

"On the wedding night, my father made a promise to his mother to ensure that she would have no worries for the rest of her life.

But now think about it...... After all, he still didn't fulfill his promise......

I am the son of my father, can you trust me? ”

When Mei Niang heard this, she smiled lightly:

"If I am outside the palace, I will only ask for the basics of life. If you have a slave like this, you can be the master of the country and protect the world......

Naturally, I'm going to be doing well. ”

Li Zhi turned around suddenly, stepped forward quickly, and looked into Mei Niang's eyes:

"How do you know that I must be a lord who can defend the country?"

"Because...... You are the concubine who most resembles the heart of the eldest grandson. Because...... I know that when the queen was alive, His Majesty never worried, once he died, the country was unstable, and the people suffered from displacement again......

Because, I know, you always have a way to make everyone around you live well without harm. ”

Li Zhi looked at her for a long time, for a long time.

Finally, he said softly:

"Good...... I promise you......

If you will eventually leave the palace......

I promise you......

It is inevitable that this Tang Dynasty will be firmly guarded, and you will have no worries for the rest of your life......

I promise you......"

Gently, he reached out his hands, and for the first time, and perhaps for the last time, gently embraced her in his arms.

Mei Niang was startled and wanted to break free.

Li Zhi said: "I have to have this moment-

It is at this moment that I Li Zhi will defend the Tang Dynasty......

Luckily? ”

Mei Niang trembled, but finally put down her hands and stood gloomily in his arms......

It's just that Ryan and Dean next to him can clearly see clearly......

Although he hugged her, the bodies of the two of them, and even the clothes on their chests, were far away. It's as if they're all scared of this hug.

Approaching, there are only two of them.