As we enter May, the weather is getting hotter day by day, and you can already feel the excitement of summer. According to the seasonal rules of the four seasons of the year, the palace will also start to prepare fabrics for the masters and ladies of each palace and cut summer clothes and skirts.

At the beginning of the month, there were many new tributes outside the palace, among which the real silk satin of Suzhou was the most popular. The Queen Mother personally selected two brightly colored fabrics and presented them to Zhou Youning and Meng Xilan.

Zhou Youning happily stepped forward to thank him, but Meng Xilan politely refused, still insisting on dressing plainly and continuing to keep filial piety for the concubine.

The Queen Mother was slightly surprised, and couldn't guess her thoughts, and said, "You kid, why are you so stubborn." The mourning family knows that you respect your elders in your heart, but you don't have to stick to the old rules like this and suffer yourself. ”

Meng Xilan just smiled and nodded when she heard this: "The empress's compassion and care, the sons are really grateful. It's just that Erchen had already made a promise in front of the Buddha and Bodhisattva that day, and only after the one-year period was completed, Erchen could go to the Buddha and Bodhisattva to make a vow. ”

She used the most appropriate excuse, slick and decent, so that no one could find fault or blame.

The Queen Mother couldn't understand her thoughts, but she knew that Meng Xilan was deliberately hiding something from her.

Zhou Youning also felt that something was wrong with her, and when there were only two of them getting along, she reached out and picked up the material rewarded by the Queen Mother, gestured to Meng Xilan's body, and smiled slightly: "It's beautiful." ”

Meng Xilan pulled down her hand and patted it lightly: "The princess will look better when she wears it." ”

"Sister Lan, have you been thinking about anything lately?"

Meng Xilan turned her eyes to look at her: "No, why do you ask that?" ”

"Hmm...... My sister has become less talkative, and she also likes to talk and play with Ning'er. "When she mentioned this, she was still a little lost in her heart." It's really strange that my sister entered the palace to be with me, but now my sister spends the least amount of time with me. ”

I don't know why, a paragraph suddenly flashed in her mind, what Zhou Li'er said to her at the beginning, "You think she is really good to you, you are so stupid!" She's just using you to please the Queen Mother. She's just taking advantage of you......"

Zhou Youning shook his head suddenly, feeling that he shouldn't think of this, he shouldn't.

Meng Xilan was slightly stunned, and found that her expression was different, so she couldn't help but ask softly, "Is the princess angry with me?" ”

Zhou Youning is the kind of person who can't hide her thoughts, usually as long as she looks at her face, she can guess one or two, but this time she is a little difficult, because she can't guess.

Zhou Youning shook his head with a smile, held Meng Xilan's hand and said, "Of course not." After speaking, he instructed the palace maids to put away the materials and slowly get up: "Sister, I have to go to Changqing Palace in the afternoon, hurry up and rest for a while." ”

Meng Xilan got up to see him off, looking at Zhou Youning's distant back, and was faintly worried in her heart.

Why has she been a little sentimental lately?

May 12 is Murong Qiao's birthday, but for Li Jieyu's business, now, she is still grounded, and the birthday banquet is a little difficult to handle for a while. The emperor's intention is that it has not come down for a long time, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not know whether to follow the regulations of previous years? Or should there be some cuts?

Counting the days, Concubine Ning has been grounded for ten days. During this period, the emperor never went to see her once, and such a cold reception was a dilemma that Murong Qiao had never encountered. There is no doubt that now she seems to have fallen out of favor.

After Li Jieyu gave birth, she has been lingering on the sickbed, and Zhou Shixian's mind has always been on her, and she has never been to other concubines, but she went to the queen's palace for lunch on the fifth day of the new year.

Seeing Murong Qiao in a predicament, some people in the palace were happy and some were worried, and some people were hanging high and high for nothing.

Just a few days ago, Meng Xilan had just been to Zhaohua Palace, and she wanted to meet Concubine Ning. It's a pity that Murong Qiao didn't see anyone.

Xu Yes, I'm really a little anxious.

Zhou Youlin specially came to Cining Palace, ostensibly to ask the Queen Mother for peace, but in fact to talk to Meng Xilan.

"Have you seen my mother?" Zhou Youlin's tone was a little anxious.

"No, Concubine Ning doesn't see me." Meng Xilan replied lightly, only signaling Zhu Lu and Zhu Qing with her eyes, and asked them to go to the side, paying attention to whether there were any others passing by.

It seems to be secluded, but it is actually the only way to go to Cining Palace.

"She didn't see anyone, not even me." Zhou Youlin's eyes sank. "I heard from the palace maids that the concubine has been very interested in Buddhism recently, and she has been copying scriptures in the palace, and she is not in a hurry. But I don't know why, my heart is not at peace at all, I am worried about her ......"

He knows his mother's character very well, she is definitely not the kind of person who can endure injustice in silence. Even if Li Jieyu's affairs are related to her, she will not be so quiet, but will look for every opportunity to turn herself over.

"In that case, I'll go to Zhaohua Palace again." Although Meng Xilan was not sure, she knew that the reason why Zhou Youlin came to her was to hope that she would do so.

Zhou Youlin's eyes flashed slightly, and he sighed lightly and said, "If you see it, help me with a word...... I will accompany her on her birthday this year. ”

Every year, the father and the emperor accompany the mother concubine, but this year, the situation seems to be changing.

His tone was deep and helpless, and Meng Xilan also changed her previous indifference, and said in a softened tone: "I have written down all the words of the prince. Don't worry, Lord Wang, Concubine Ning is innocent, and sooner or later the matter will come to light and the truth will be inserted. ”

When Zhou Youlin heard this, he raised his head and looked at her again, and asked, "Do you know the truth?" ”

Meng Xilan was suddenly stopped by him, and hurriedly said: "I don't know, but I believe that Concubine Ning would not do such a stupid thing." ”

When Zhou Youlin heard this, he suddenly laughed for some reason, "Yes, it's really stupid." ”

Although he said so, there were some obscure speculations hidden in his heart.

Recently, Zhou Youlin heard some things from Zhou Shili's mouth, some old news that has not seen the light of day. Although it is difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood after many years, he still minds very much in his heart......

"Lord Wang......" Meng Xilan saw that he was slightly stunned, his expression was very depressed, and he couldn't help but call him softly.

Zhou Youlin came back to his senses and nodded lightly at Meng Xilan, "Then please." With that, he got up and left with a heavy heart.

Seeing this, Gao Fuli couldn't help but be a little surprised, looked at his back, and muttered in a low voice: "Why is the prince so kind today, and he won't be angry with his master." ”

I don't know if it's because there have been too many things that have happened recently, Meng Xilan feels that everyone's emotions are a little depressed, and they are very sensitive and abnormal......

Meng Xilan didn't like this very much, and always felt very uneasy, as if something bad had happened.

In the evening, Meng Xilan came to Zhaohua Palace again.

The palace maids passed the word for her, and waited for a long time before they could reply: "Your Royal Highness the princess, Concubine Ning invites you to come in and talk." ”

Meng Xilan breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhaohua Palace looks much more deserted than before, obviously the decoration and furnishings have not changed, but it still feels a lot more deserted.

In the huge side hall, there was only one small palace maid accompanying Murong Qiao, and Murong Qiao stood in front of the table and wrote with a pen and a very serious expression.

Meng Xilan looked at her a little and found that her makeup was exquisite, her clothes were gorgeous, her expression and complexion were no different from before she was grounded.

"Say hello to the mother, the mother is blessed with gold." Meng Xilan bowed slowly.

Murong Qiao finished writing the last stroke, raised his head and said cordially, "Get up quickly, what are you polite to this palace." ”

Meng Xilan got up when she heard this, and slowly walked to the table, wanting to see what she was writing, "Niangniang is really good Yaxing, uh......"

She walked over and took a look, and found that what Murong Qiao was writing was actually the sentence "Good is rewarded with good and evil is rewarded with evil". What's going on?

Murong Qiao put down the brush, washed his hands under the service of the little palace maid, and sat down face to face with Meng Xilan.

"When you came to see Bengong before, Bengong was a little unwell, so I didn't let you in, because I was afraid that you would get sick." Murong Qiaofeng explained lightly. After all, last time she let Meng Xilan eat the closed door.

"Is there anything uncomfortable about that mother's current body?" Meng Xilan pretended to be concerned and asked, in fact, her body should be fine, and the uncomfortable should be her heart.

"It's okay, it's just a little cold." Murong Qiao smiled again, took the teacup handed by the palace maid, took a sip gently, and returned his gaze to the table again: "I heard that you have studied calligraphy since childhood, what do you think of the writing of this palace?" ”

Meng Xilan lowered her eyes slightly: "I just learned a little fur and insect carving skills." How dare you comment on Niangniang's Mobao? ”

Murong Qiao smiled: "Look at you, you're really getting better at talking." This palace knows that you came here because you can't rest assured. Don't worry, this palace is good, and you don't have to blindly say something nice to coax this palace. ”

Meng Xilan nodded and muttered, "Actually, I came here today to be entrusted by the prince. ”

"Oh, really?" Murong Qiao replied lightly, as if he didn't care at all about the two of them meeting in private.

"The prince said that Niangniang's birthday is coming, and when the time comes, the prince will come to Zhaohua Palace to accompany you." Meng Xilan conveyed Zhou Youlin's thoughts to her as it was, and what she wanted to ask was why Murong Qiao didn't meet Zhou Youlin.

"This kid really has a heart." Murong Qiao's tone was still light and light.

"Niangniang, you have been grounded for so long, have you ever thought of any way out of trouble?"

Without further ado, Meng Xilan asked the question she wanted to ask the most.

Murong Qiao's eyebrows moved slightly when he heard this, and he pursed his lips and smiled: "There are ways, but this palace doesn't want to get out of this predicament yet." ”

Her words made Meng Xilan a little confused: "Where did Niangniang say this?" ”

Murong Qiao still looked like he was smiling: "This time, what is in this palace is a trick set up by someone else to fight for their lives, although it is full of loopholes, it is very useful. The emperor is still suspicious of me, presumably, she must be very proud in her heart. ”

The "she" in her mouth must be Li Jieyu.

"Niangniang, do you think Li Jieyu deliberately framed you? Couldn't it be someone else who is in the way? If you want to kill two birds with one stone, you will hurt her and you. Meng Xilan still didn't believe it, she was so ruthless, she actually used her own flesh and blood as a bargaining chip, "And Niangniang, the imperial doctors said that after Li Jieyu went through this incident, it would be difficult to get pregnant in the future." Why did she sacrifice so much! ”

Murong Qiao let out a long sigh of meaning, and the smile on her face faded a little: "She is indeed ruthless enough, and she has done this kind of thing." The kid ...... She obviously didn't want it in the first place. ”