The Qingfeng Pavilion of the Manxiang Palace, in a plum forest like the sea, the plum fragrance in the forest is overflowing, and the flowers bloom like snow.

Lying on the table in front of the window, holding a large piece of white paper with one hand, and drawing something with a pen in the other. Her eyebrows were slightly frowned, her expression was extremely serious, her head was drooping, and her slender neck was curved gracefully. The long slipped from his ears and scattered on the same snow-white rich paper.

She was surrounded by old books and books containing information about weapons and battle formations.

In the past few days, except for sleeping at night and spending time with Wu Wu, she has been thinking about one thing at other times. The war was coming, and the army of the Southern Dynasty plus the recruited new army had a total of only about 200,000, while the Northern Dynasty had nearly 400,000 ironclad troops, and the army of Qiyun Kingdom was no less than 500,000. If you don't have good equipment and weapons, even if you are a spy and start a war, you will suffer a lot. And the equipment and weapons of this era are nothing more than armor, war horses x spears, shields, bows, crossbows, and swords. A single thing is either offensive or defensive, but none of them can combine offense and defense.

She pondered to herself, unaware that it was dark outside. The palace maid entered the room and took the lamp and retreated silently, for fear of disturbing her. The palace maids and eunuchs of the entire Manxiang Hall knew that when she was serious about something, she forgot to sleep and eat, and she didn't like to be disturbed.

She would never have imagined that one day, her designs would be used in weapons and equipment in war. She hadn't had time to discuss this matter with Wu Wu yet, she just wanted to surprise him when her design was completed. Looking at the drawing that had taken shape in her pen, she pursed her lips slightly, and the light in her eyes eclipsed the full moon hanging high in the sky.

She finally exhaled, put down the pen, and the palace maid guarding the door hurriedly came in and saluted: "Niangniang, dinner has been hot four times, you can go to the dining room to eat." ”

She was stunned for a moment, and looked at the dark night, and then she had been sitting here for several hours unconsciously. She turned her head and asked, "What time is it?" Hasn't the emperor come over yet? ”

The palace maid replied: "Back to Niangniang's words, it's already five o'clock, half an hour ago, Xianggong was ordered to pass the word, the emperor has something to do tonight, but he came to the Manxiang Palace, the emperor let Niangniang eat by himself, no need to wait for him to ......."

Slightly stunned, they said well, no matter how busy they are, they must be together during meals. For the past two days, although he had been talking to her as usual, she had a gut feeling that something was on his mind. She frowned and asked, "But anything else?" ”

The palace maid shook her head and said, "No." ”

She paused for a moment, slowly stood up, and when she looked up, she saw the sly and bright full moon in the dark gray sky, and suddenly remembered that today was November 15th, which seemed to be her birthday. How many years have you not had a birthday?

I remember in my previous life, after my father had an affair and my mother was hospitalized all year round, no one remembered her birthday. After her mother died, every year on this night, she would sit alone in the empty room, with birthday cakes, never making a wish, just watching the candles slowly burn out with her eyes open, and then quietly get up and leave without looking back. Turn off all the lights and lock yourself in a suffocation.

At that time, she at least had a cake and a symbolic birthday for herself, but when she came to this world, she didn't dare to let people know what was special about this day for her, everything was a secret, a secret that could not see the light.

On this day last year, they were on their way to Jiangnan, facing the pursuit of the enemy, and she did not mention the matter to Wuwu. And this year, she hopes that someone can fulfill her long-cherished wish for her, no cake, no grand ceremony, just one person who can gently hug her and say happy birthday to her, that's enough!

She picked up the drawing on the table, walked to the dining room, and saw that the food was a little cold again, and instructed the palace maid: "Heat it again, and send it to Longxiao Palace when it is hot." ”

The palace maid was startled, raised her head and said "ah", and the other palace maids in the room glanced at each other, and there was worry and flickering in their eyes.

Manyao frowned, and her intuition was something she didn't know. She stared, glanced at everyone coldly, her eyes were sharp, her voice was like ice, and she asked, "What?" Do you have something to hide from this palace? ”

As soon as the palace maids saw that she understood her anger, their legs were weak in fright, so they knelt down and said again and again: "The slave doesn't dare." Please forgive me! ”

Manyao stared at them with low eyes, and coldly spat out a word, "Say." ”

Although the palace maids were afraid, they still lowered their heads, hesitated and did not dare to speak, and a younger palace maid couldn't help but say: "A few days ago, a young lady Sang came to the palace and lived in the Yilan Palace. I heard that this Miss Sang is young and beautiful, and she sings very well......",

"Xuan'er", the older palace maid kneeling at the front changed her complexion, and she hurriedly scolded, and said: "No matter how beautiful Miss Sang is, she is not as beautiful as one ten-thousandth of our mother, where is the appearance of the mother and the earth, where is the ordinary ordinary woman comparable?" Niangniang, it's like this, Miss Sang has been in the palace for five days, and the emperor has not been to Yilan Hall to see her in the past five days. This afternoon, Miss Sang sang on the way for the emperor to come to the Manxiang Palace, attracting the emperor's attention, and said that the emperor worked hard for state affairs all day, and she personally cooked soup for the emperor, replenished the emperor's body, and then ,... She followed the emperor to Longxiao Palace and accompanied the emperor to dinner,"

Manyao's heart sank, she only cared about reading books every day for the past few days, thinking about the upcoming war, just wanted to help him share more, but she didn't want other women to enter the palace for five days, she didn't know at all!

What did you do to let that woman into the palace? The woman was singing and making soup, and it seemed that she was a person who was not willing to be ordinary and lonely.

Another palace maid said with a worried face: "Niangniang, you should think of a way!" Now there are rumors in the palace in private, saying that Niangniang will soon be beaten into the cold palace, and Miss Sang will be the queen......",

"Stop, don't talk nonsense!" The older palace maid hurriedly stopped the palace maid who had no one to cover her mouth, and turned her head and glared fiercely, and hurriedly said: "Niangniang, don't listen to their nonsense, who doesn't know the emperor's favor for Niangniang up and down the palace?" Even if Miss Sang is really crowned queen, in the emperor's heart, there is still only you. Niangniang, you can eat first, don't go hungry. ”

Manxiao clenched the things in his hands, and his sharp nails pierced the white rice paper and nailed it to his skin. She glanced at the food on the table and looked at where he usually sits, her face unusually calm, unsettling.

The palace maids looked at each other, lowered their heads and did not dare to say anything more.

After a long time, Man Yao spoke softly, and said in a light tone: "It's all withdrawn." ”

"Huh? Mother, you are deep

"The palace said, withdraw." Her eyes were sharp, and her voice was cold and irresistible. "Stand down, all of you."

"Yes." The palace ladies hurriedly retreated.

Manyao paced around the house twice, his fingers white.

The winter evening breeze is bitterly cold, lapping the carved panes and scratching the cool white window paper. The window that had never been closed was opened with a creak, and the cold wind penetrated through the window, stirring her head like snow and silver.

If he was still the former king who could act willfully without scruples, she would firmly believe that he would not compromise, but at this moment, he is an emperor whose power has not yet been fully stabilized, and his father is in the hands of the enemy, I don't know what kind of torture he suffers? His mother's bone mausoleum is on enemy territory, and he can't do it if he wants to worship during the New Year's holidays! And the people who brought them shame are now eyeing them and trying in every possible way to make them die. All of this made her unsure of what he would do?

Lover or country, can never have both, when it comes to him, will there be an exception? The courtiers forced each other, the military camp rioted, someone secretly did tricks, using her white things to make a big fuss, that person must have understood the feelings between them very well, so he took advantage of the selfishness of the ministers of the Southern Dynasty to make him, the emperor, a lone army, in a dilemma, so he set up such a vicious plan.

An emperor can dispose of any courtier, but the emperor cannot oppose the Manchu civil and military forces or even the entire national army, which is self-defeating. Prime Minister Sang Cheng's roots in the Southern Dynasty are too deep, and almost half of the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are his protégés.

She understands these truths and understands his predicament, but she still can't be willing to work with her! Tossing and turning, going through life and death, is this fate? Destined she won't get the love she wants?

She thought for a moment, turned to look at the dark sky outside, and walked out quickly.

The Manxiang Palace is not far from the Longxiao Palace, and it only took her a quarter of an hour to reach the outside of the Longxiao Palace, and the guards at the door were busy saluting her, and she never needed to be notified when she came here.

Entering Longxiao Palace, she heard the sound of silk and bamboo from a distance, as well as the woman's singing, which was as graceful and clear as a hundred spirits, which was extremely pleasant to the ear. This woman really sang well, and she must have been preparing for this day for a long time.

Manyao suddenly stopped, stood at the door, and did not go any further.

Her eyes were slightly cold, staring in the direction from which the vocal music came, motionless. The brightly lit palace was right in front of her eyes, and she could stop anything that could happen as long as she walked in.

The lights in the dark night were particularly dazzling, and the full moon in the sky was bright, stretching the shadow cast on the ground by the village trees outside the palace. Everything that was already familiar in this palace became a little strange in her heart.

When she went out, she forgot to put on a fox fur, and at this moment the cold wind poured in, she only felt cold all over her body, and even her heart was cold together, just like the green and white floor tiles under her feet. Why do people who love each other go through so much trouble to come together, and why do they have to go through so many trials and tribulations?

She tilted her head and took a deep breath, the cold air went straight into her lungs, she smiled coldly, and muttered, "It's cold! Without that pair of warm hands to support her, it was as cold as ice.

She looked at the palace again, thought for a moment, and finally turned slowly, silently leaving where she had come from, and going back wherever she had come.

"Why don't you go in?" As soon as she left Longxiao Palace, Xiao Xu, who had been watching her from afar, appeared in front of her. He thought she would go in, because a proud woman like her would not allow anyone to ruin her happiness once she was sure of what she wanted.

Manxiao paused, what did he go in and do? He said that this matter would be handled by him, and she said that she would trust him, and she should believe that he would handle it!

If even he can't believe it, then her life really can't find the meaning of existence. That kind of life is too contemplative, and she still wants to give herself a chance.

She raised her chin, looked at the distant and dark sky, and smiled faintly: "He has his own reasons for doing this." Ignoring Xiao Xu's stunnedness, she left directly, and the cool white moonlight poured on her thin back, hurting the eyes of the person behind her.

Outside the Qingfeng Palace, in the midst of the plum forest, she asked someone to fetch a piano and sat alone in the pavilion. sent everyone out, and in the entire Manxiang Palace, she was alone, accompanied by the cold moon.

The strings were plucked, and the lonely notes flowed out from her pale fingertips like a ding-dong spring, carrying her uncertain mood at the moment, lingering in the night of this silent deep palace, stained with the bleakness and desolation of the night.

In the Qingfeng Hall opposite, a dim light and candle shadows swayed in the wind, illuminating the darkness outside.

She suddenly thought, how sad and sad was Concubine Yun Guifei when she saw Emperor Lin marrying Fu Yuan? In those days when Pu Kite was in full bloom, how did she survive one desperate long night after another? If it is a woman in this world, it is just that, it is natural to be instilled with three wives and four concubines for men since childhood, so it is at least easier to accept. And the sad thing is that Yun Guifei, like her, comes from that society where men and women are equal and monogamous, and in their thoughts, love should be single-minded, and three people cannot be allowed to set foot in it. Is this their blessing or misfortune?

"Don't worry, I hope you don't let their tragedy repeat itself on us."

In this way, she spent the last moments of her birthday with the sad sound of the piano, and this time, she was still unaccompanied and did not hear a warm blessing.

How long has it been since you had a headache? Probably since Ling'er left, I don't know why, her headache on the night of the full moon suddenly disappeared since then, as if it had never been painful. And at this moment, she actually missed the feeling of headache, if her head hurt, she could drink the medicine and fall asleep, and she didn't have to sit here so tormentedly.

Sleepless all night, she sat quietly in the Merlin, looking at the sky, thinking, without blood, what way can curb the rumors of her white demons, and quell this riot in the court and the army maliciously set off by people with intentions as soon as possible?

Dongfang Bai, she raised her head and rubbed her tight temples.

At this time, a person walked into the forest, and she turned her eyes to see that it was Xiao Ke, who she hadn't seen for a few days.

Xiao Ke didn't come to hold her arm as soon as he saw her as usual, but slowly walked towards her with his head down. The complexion is rare and dignified, and the eyes are slightly red.

Man Yao frowned and asked, "Ke'er, why did you come here so early?" ”

"Sister Princess", Xiao Ke called her softly, biting her lip, her eyes a little evasive, as if she was hesitating about something. Then he lowered his head, said in a very soft voice, "Sister Princess, I'm sorry, I'm ............ The Emperor ......"

Xiao Ke's abnormality made her feel that something was unusual, and her heart jumped, and she hurriedly stood up and asked, "What's wrong with him?" She didn't even notice a slight tremor in her voice.

Xiao Ke looked up at her, his lips moved, and he stopped talking.

Manyao lost his composure, and said in a hurried tone: "Ke'er, what happened, tell me quickly!" ”

Xiao Ke said: "Sister Princess...... Go to Longxiao Palace by yourself."

Phoenix Nirvana, the soul of women