Enter the palace, be enthroned, withdraw from marriage, and mourn ...... Over the years, Meng Xilan has experienced many things in the palace, and Meng Zhenglu knows clearly. For six years, her daughter's appearance doesn't seem to have changed much, but in her heart, those places that others can't see, seem to have changed a lot.

Meng Zhenglu looked directly at his daughter's face, and there was still a faint hint of girlish childishness between her eyebrows, but her eyes were different. It felt like a different person. In fact, Meng Zhenglu has had this feeling for a long time, although it was only for a moment, he still remembers it vividly.

"Dad, my daughter has come to this point without regrets, our Meng family has been smooth sailing over the years, and it is naturally good that I can contribute to the family. But now, the situation is uncertain, there are many events in the DPRK and China, and my daughter can't blindly hide from it. I made this decision this time because I have affection for the Ninth Master. Second, because of the situation, the emperor has not yet decided on the candidate for the new prince, which is not good for us, and even more unfavorable to Prince Xian. As courtiers, we can't influence the emperor's thoughts, let alone go against the emperor's thoughts. ”

Meng Zhenglu said with a straight face when he heard this: "The power of this is known to my father." It's just that the ninth master ......"

Zhou Youchen has no power at all in the court, and no one is optimistic about him at all. If supporting Zhou Youlin is to be cocooned, then supporting Zhou Youchen is asking for hardship.

"Father's worries, Xi Lan understands. The Ninth Master is actually not as perverse and violent as outsiders say, he is a very persevering person, otherwise, he would not have survived ten years in the Changqing Palace. As long as someone teaches him carefully and assists him with all his might, he will definitely be able to do it. Meng Xilan wanted to convince her father that Zhou Youchen was a malleable talent.

Meng Zhenglu frowned, how could such a big thing be as simple as just talking about it.

"Lan'er, let my father think about it."

Meng Xilan nodded quietly and said, "My daughter understands." ”

After coming out of his father's study, Meng Xizhao followed Meng Xilan all the way, and only after walking through the arch did he say, "Xilan, talk to my brother for a few words." ”

Meng Xilan turned her eyes to look at him and nodded quietly.

It's been a long time since the two siblings have spoken seriously.

Meng Xizhao personally poured tea for his sister: "Today's matter, you frightened me and my father." Come to think of it, your heart is not comfortable. ”

Meng Xilan took the tea bowl, looked at her brother, and asked softly, "Brother, you won't be angry with me, right?" ”

"I'm not angry, I'm not qualified to be angry with you." Meng Xizhao groaned slightly.

"Over the years, you have been hiding so many things in your heart, but I, as an elder brother, don't know anything about it. I'm ashamed to say it......"

"Brother, don't say such things, I advocated it without permission and deliberately hid it from you." Meng Xilan lowered her head.

"Xilan, you said that you had affection for the ninth master, so you divorced the marriage for him back then?"

There are some things, Meng Xizhao feels that he still needs to ask clearly.

My sister and Chu Jingchuan were childhood sweethearts and grew up together. But she couldn't bear to break the marriage contract with him, it must be because of some important people and important things.

If she hadn't mentioned the Ninth Master today, Meng Xizhao would have thought that she had withdrawn from the marriage because she was afraid of the prince, so she had to regret the marriage.

Meng Xilan saw that her brother asked so directly, and she was speechless for a while. My brother must have misunderstood.

"Don't talk about the past." Meng Xilan replied vaguely.

"Lan'er." Meng Xizhao put down the teacup and said in a light tone: "You have chosen the ninth master now, and in the future, you will follow him for the rest of your life." You, the Meng family, all of us have to tie up with him. ”

It's like a big gamble, winning or losing is just a moment, but once you buy and leave, you will be affected by it for the rest of your life.

"I'm sorry, brother." Meng Xilan said suddenly.

Meng Xizhao raised his eyebrows, and his expression became solemn, "Don't say I'm sorry, you didn't do anything to be sorry for the Meng family, it's because we're sorry for you...... Lan'er, there are some things you don't want to say, so don't say it. It's just that I'm worried about you, I'm worried that you will be attacked in the palace alone, and you don't even have someone around you who can be trusted and relied on. ”

"With the Ninth Master here, my life in the palace is not bitter." Meng Xilan replied lightly.

Meng Xizhao sighed helplessly: "Ninth Master, he is still a child. How can he take care of you? Lan'er, do you really like him? ”

Meng Xilan smiled slightly: "I like it." Brother, he's really important to me. ”

Meng Xizhao looked puzzled, but he still respected his sister's choice.

Just after Meng Xilan explained his thoughts to his father and brother, the emperor made a move in the court. The triennial general election for officials is about to begin, and it is the busiest and most important time for the officials.

The Ministry of Officials is the head of the six departments, and those who can go to the Ministry of Officials to manage affairs and become officials are either the top talents or the queens of famous families.

Meng Xizhao had been following his father to work in the household department, and his official character was not high. Who knows, Zhou Shixian made an exception to promote him, transferred him to the ministry, and promoted him to a five-grade squire. Meng Xizhao is still young, and he has been an official for less than ten years, and he has become a waiter of the five-grade official department, which is really surprising and red-eyed.

This is not a reward for meritorious deeds, but an exceptional promotion, which really flatters the Meng family.

After Meng Xilan heard the news, she was also slightly stunned.

However, she quickly calmed down, no matter what the emperor's purpose was, it was a good thing for her brother.

With his talent and ability, he will definitely be able to make some achievements in the ministry. It's just that right now, he will inevitably be criticized by everyone, and what he doesn't listen to is gossip.

For her brother's sake, Meng Xilan personally went to the Heart Cultivation Hall to thank her.

Zhou Shixian saw her coming, he didn't raise his eyelids, just flipped through the folds in his hand, and said lightly: "If you have anything to say, get up and say it." ”

Meng Xilan still knelt on the ground and said quietly: "Xilan is here to thank the emperor and promote her brother's kindness." ”

Zhou Shixian looked up at her: "Your brother is a talent." I'm willing to give him a chance......"

He deliberately dragged out his tone, as if referring to something else.

"Long live thanks." Meng Xilan respectfully kowtowed to him and made a muffled sound.

Zhou Shixian raised the corners of his lips when he heard this, raised his eyes to look at her, and said lightly: "I hope you ...... My brother can repay his kindness, don't waste my kindness. ”

Meng Xilan lowered her eyes slightly, still kneeling on the ground.

Zhou Shixian saw that she was not moving, so he slowly got up, walked towards her slowly, stretched out his hand and said, "Knee pain after kneeling for a long time, get up." ”

Meng Xilan lowered her head, gently held his hand, and stood up.

Zhou Shixian looked at her: "I'm a little tired from looking at the excerpts. Why don't you go out for a walk with me? ”

Meng Xilan nodded meekly.

The royal garden road was far away, and the two only walked in the courtyard, and Chang Hai led a group of little eunuchs to follow from afar.

Meng Xilan deliberately slowed down and followed behind Zhou Shixian, waiting for him to speak. However, after waiting for a long time, he did not speak.

Meng Xilan looked at Zhou Shixian slightly, he was already a man in his fifties, with a thin figure, a straight back, and a lot of gray hair had grown on his sideburns.

Looking closely, there was a faint hint of decay between his eyebrows, not because of the superposition of age, but because of some unknown tiredness, or tiredness.

"Am I old?"

I don't know if I noticed her gaze and thoughts, Zhou Shixian suddenly spoke.

"Your Majesty......" Meng Xilan had just opened her mouth.

Zhou Shixian reminded her: "Don't tell lies to make me happy. I don't like to hear lies. ”

He was tired of listening to those unintentional lies.

"Your Majesty, everyone in the world will be old." Meng Xilan thought about it in her heart, but she still only replied.

Zhou Shixian smiled lightly when he heard this: "Yes, everyone in the world will be old and will die." ”

Lately, he often has a sense of inadequacy, and he sometimes even feels afraid, afraid that he will grow old, so old that anyone can easily harm him.

Meng Xilan's eyebrows frowned, this topic was too heavy. "Your Majesty, you are in the prime of life, why do you need to be so sad?"

Zhou Shixian looked at her face when he heard this: "Don't you think I'm old?" ”

In terms of age, he was older than her father.

Meng Xilan shook her head with a smile: "Xilan doesn't dare." ”

Her sentence "don't dare" made Zhou Shixian's mood a little delicate, neither good nor bad.

Zhou Shixian snorted slightly, "This sentence is honest." ”

He looked at her, her flower-like face, her skin was white and shiny, revealing a youthful vitality.

He stretched out his hand and wanted to touch her face, but Meng Xilan took a step back and deliberately avoided it.

It was an instinctive reaction that she couldn't control, but she could remedy it.

Meng Xilan knelt down to apologize: "Xilan is frightened, and I hope that the emperor will forgive her sins." ”

Zhou Shixian stared at the top of her head, and said silently: "You don't have to guard against me, I won't do anything to you." You look too much like Changle, I just sighed for a moment. ”

If he wanted to move her, all he needed was one word. But he didn't move because of her face. She is too similar to Changle, and he is really reluctant to be ruthless against her.

Zhou Shixian didn't embarrass her, and he didn't see any unusual emotions on his face, and after a few words with her, he let her go back.

After she left, Chang Hai quietly walked over and said, "Long live Lord, you are so happy today, why don't you stay with Her Royal Highness the Princess for a while." ”

Zhou Shixian's face became gloomy: "Are you talking too much?" ”

Chang Hai was horrified in his heart: "The slave has a lot of mouths." Long live the master, the minions are also anxious for you......"

The master was worried about Meng Xilan for a while, in the past, there was the Queen Mother in front of her, but now the Queen Mother is gone, the Queen Mother is also sick, and even Concubine Ning is not a problem.

Zhou Shixian groaned: "It's really that the emperor is not in a hurry, and the eunuch is in a hurry." What is going on in my heart, how can you, a eunuch, understand? ”

He is a little interested in Meng Xilan, but she really looks too much like Changle, and seeing her is like seeing his sister. After thinking about it, he suddenly understood why the queen mother wanted to keep Meng Xilan by his side.

Even if it's not true, it's alive, put it in front of you, even if it's just a shadow.