After dinner, He ordered Yuan Ke and Yuan Huai brothers to review the work taught by the waiters during the day, and ordered Yuan Ying to stroke the piano, so he led the three brothers and sisters to the flower garden to catch summer cicadas and play.

In the middle of summer night, the bright moon is parting branches, and the cicadas are singing in the breeze.

Jixiang led two palace maids with lanterns in their hands and went to the woods with Yuan Huai and Yuan Ying to look for cicadas. Yuan Ke was calm and sensible, and when he saw that the sky was dark, although he was accompanied by palace maids, he also followed He's side, lest A-Niang be harmed.

In the afternoon, Yuan Ying's words made He worry about Yuan Ke in his heart. Under the pretext of helping Yuanhuai's brothers and sisters, He sent away the palace maids who accompanied him, and only the mother and son walked slowly in the flower garden.

He opened his mouth first: "Ke'er, less than half a month is your birthday... As the saying goes, 'Son's birthday, Mother's difficult day', I want to ask you to show Aye, and lead you out of the palace with Huai'er and Ying'er to sacrifice your Auntie's tomb. ”

When Yuan Ke heard this, he said emotionally: "Ah Niang, you treat your sons with all their hearts, and the sons have nothing to repay, I only wish Ah Niang that her jade body is healthy, so that her sons can be happy." ”

He smiled lightly and said: "When your aunt was alive, she was like me as a sister, and you and Huai'er and Ying'er were sensible and well-behaved, and I had already regarded them as my own... I have no other wishes, I just ask that the four of you brothers and sisters are safe and healthy, and in the future, the man and the woman will marry, and each of you will be well! ”

Yuan Ke said: "Taifu once said that 'parents and children meet by fate', and it is also destined for the sons to be taken care of by the mother, and the sons are determined to be filial to the mother, in order to repay the grace of the mother's upbringing." ”

Looking sideways at Yuan Ke, He said: "You will be in the year of the dancing spoon, and on that day, you Aya said to me that you will be crowned king after the autumn sacrifice." ”

Glancing up at Mingyue, He continued: "When you are crowned king, you will go out of the palace to open the palace and marry the side concubine. ”

He Fang just finished speaking, and Yuan Ke blurted out: "Auntie, my son doesn't want to go out of the palace to open a mansion, and he doesn't want to marry a side concubine..."

He stopped, looked at Yuan Ke, and said: "The so-called men and women are different, and then the husband and wife are righteous; Husband and wife are righteous, and then father and son are related; Father and son have relatives, and then monarchs and ministers have politics. If you don't open a house and start a family, how can you participate in politics and assist the monarch? I also hope that Ke'er can be by my side for a long time, but Ke'er, as a prince and has grown up, how can she stay in the inner palace for a long time? ”

Yuan Ke said: "Auntie, my son knows that the boy should start a family before he can serve his family and country... Only... Only my son is still unwilling to open a house and start a family..."

Although He knew that Yuan Ke Xu was because of Feng Ji, he was unwilling to break this out: "Why does Ke'er have such a thought, but you are willing to say it to me?" ”

Yuan Ke said: "My son just wants to be by his aunt's side... Son... Son..."

He said softly: "Ke'er has opened the mansion, and she can often go back to the palace to visit me and your brothers and sisters." ”

Seeing that Yuan Ke was silent, He continued: "Ke'er, your eldest brother opened the regent of the mansion in the old year at your age... The ancestral palace rules are like this, even if I intend to keep you by my side, I am powerless! ”

Yuan Ke was originally close to He, and when he heard the words, he didn't want to deceive him anymore, Yuan Ke raised his head and said weakly: "My son didn't tell the truth to Ah Niang, I hope Ah Niang will forgive me!" Son... The son just doesn't want to marry the side concubine... The son already has a man of his will in his heart..."

He sighed in his heart, looked at Yuan Ke, and still didn't want to say anything: "Ke'er wants to marry the concubine first?" You Aya once said to me, according to the ancestral system of the Great Wei, the princes can marry the concubines after the prince's wedding. Although you, Aya, have pointed out Ji'er to the prince, but Taishi and Feng Situ have passed away one after another, and Ji'er must keep filial piety for three years... If the prince does not perform the wedding ceremony for a day, Ke'er will not be able to marry the concubine for a day! ”

The prince is a person who must be compared, and He is afraid that he and Yuan Ke will have a knot in their hearts, and it will be unfavorable to Yuan Ke in the future. He Dao came out of Feng Ji, just to break Yuan Ke's desire to tie the knot with Feng Ji.

Yuan Ke didn't know He's intentions, his eyes were full of anticipation, and he said: "Ah Niang, although Aya intends to promise Ah Ji to the eldest brother, he has not issued an edict to tell the world..."

Before Yuan Ke could speak, He took over and said: "The Son of Heaven has made a promise, although you have not issued an edict, you have promised Taishi and Feng Situ, and everyone in the government and the opposition knows it, and this matter is indisputable." ”

When Yuan Ke heard this, his heart sank, and he said: "Ah Niang, the person my son likes is Ah Ji... The son and Ah Ji are wishful and beg Ah Niang to fulfill it! ”

Between the words, Yuan Ke had knelt on the ground. Seeing this, He hurriedly helped Yuan Ke up, and sighed lightly: "Ke'er, it's not that A-Niang doesn't want to do it, it's just that the person you like is not an ordinary person..."

Yuan Ke pleaded: "Aya treats A-Niang in everything, everything is answered, A-Niang is willing to mediate from it, and there will be a chance to turn the circle around this matter." ”

Although He had pity in his heart, he thought that long-term pain was better than short-term injury. Looking at Yuan Ke, He said helplessly: "You Aya is a human monarch first, and then a father, and the crown prince and concubine are the future queen of Great Wei, so this matter is no longer a family matter." ”

Gently stroking Yuan Ke's head, He continued: "How can the father and son, husband and wife of the heavenly family be like the homes of ordinary people? ”

Although Yuan Ke is sensible and reasonable on weekdays, he is young after all, and when he hears He's words, he only feels stunned. Seeing Yuan Ke's state, He hurriedly relieved: "Ke'er, the love and fate in the world are destined by God, and it is not up to people to gather and disperse. Ke'er, you are in the prime of your youth, and you will definitely meet a good fate in the future. ”

Yuan Ke clenched his fists and remained silent. He looked at Yuan Ke's appearance and felt very heartbroken.

"Auntie, second brother, come and take a look, I and the fifth brother have caught a lot of golden cicadas!" With Yuan Ying's happy voice, the two of them gathered their hearts and greeted everyone.

Yuan Ying saw He and Yuan Ke walking closer, so she ran over. Lifting the brocade handkerchief covered by the bamboo cage in the hands of the palace maid, looking at the two of them, Yuan Ying said happily: "A-Niang, there are many golden cicadas in this forest, and there are also many cicadas, and Ying'er has picked a lot." ”

Following Yuan Ying's auspiciousness, he bowed to the two of them and said: "Zuo Zhaoyi, that day, the imperial doctor ordered the cicada to shed its heat and suppress convulsions, which can cure the disease of children's night crying." The little princess has been crying from time to time in the past few days and nights, so the slave and Princess Changle picked the cicadas together so that the little princess could be medicated. ”

Yuan Huai also greeted him and said to He: "A-Niang, in the summer of the old year, you burned cicadas for your sons to eat, which was crispy and delicious, and my son only felt that the aftertaste was endless." ”

He looked at Yuan Huai and said with a smile: "Since Huai'er is so concerned, then I will roast the cicadas with you tonight, okay?" ”

Turning his head to auspiciousness, He instructed: "Auspicious, go to the inner servants to prepare a charcoal fire next to the lotus pond, and I will lead the children to burn cicadas." ”

Jixiang hurriedly responded, and was about to go to the front hall to call the attendants, when he heard Yuanying say to He: "Auntie, in the old year, your roasted cicada sister was also very happy, why don't you go to the Jiaokun Palace and invite Sister Ji to come back and eat together?" ”

He Fangcai and Yuan Ke discussed the matter of Feng Ji, and at this time, he was embarrassed when he heard Yuan Ying's words. After thinking about it for a while, He said: "It's night, I don't know if your sister has gone to bed?" If you don't call her to catch cicadas earlier next time, A-Niang will give her food again. ”

Yuan Ying heard He's words and said, "Now is just the right time..."

Before Yuan Ying could speak, Yuan Ke suddenly said: "A-Niang, my son is a little tired, so go back to the side hall and go to bed first... Ah Ji likes to eat cicadas, and Ah Niang called her to come. ”