Palace.

The Emperor and Empress each looked quietly at the books in their hands, and at some point they began to talk to each other a lot.

Occasionally, the eyes collide, but it is also warm, which belongs to the unique tacit understanding of the old husband and wife, but it should not exist between the emperor and the queen.

"It's rare that you don't have to review the folds tonight, the emperor should rest early, the dragon body is important." The queen opened her mouth gently, took the lead in putting down the book and said: "The emperor has rubbed his eyes a few times, and if he continues to look like this, he will burn his eyes." ”

"It's still the queen's meticulous observation, but I didn't notice it." The emperor put the books in his hand and sorted out the dragon robe, but he didn't mean to get up.

"That's because the emperor is busy every day, and it is rare to have free time, not as good as a concubine, but he has time to prune flowers and plants, or be a female celebrity." The queen smiled softly, and gestured to the palace people, "The concubine recently sewed a shirt for the emperor, and the emperor tried it to fit." ”

"The queen has made underwear for me for more than 20 years, can it still not fit?" The emperor's face was happy, and his tone was a little ambiguous.

Although there are not a few concubines who make underwear for the emperor, the emperor's favorite thing to wear is only the queen's needlework, because the emperor knows that every piece of clothing sewn by the queen never fakes others, and never wants to reward after giving clothes.

Perhaps this is also the reason why the emperor has always retained some true feelings for the empress, there is no man who does not want his wife to truly love him, not because of any interests, not because of status.

It's just that the emperor never thinks about it, the empress has already got everything she wants most, and there is nothing more to fight for.

Whether it is the future of a pair of children, or the favor of the emperor, or the honor of being the mother of the country, the queen is undoubtedly a big winner.

"In fact, the concubine wants to sew a set of civilian clothes for the emperor, and when the emperor comes to the concubine's bedroom, wear it for the concubine to see alone." The queen's voice was a little low, with a little shyness, but it was a little more charming than her usual dignified appearance.

The emperor's eyes flashed, staring at the empress for a long time, and when he saw that when she looked up at him, her expression was a little lonely, so he asked aloud: "Why does the empress suddenly have such an idea?" ”

The queen smiled bitterly, and went to bed for about a cup of tea before coming back, holding a new set of casual clothes in her hand, and the material should have been the style of many years ago.

"After the first emperor got married, the concubines made this set of clothes, and they always hoped to give it to the emperor who was still the prince at that time, but the emperor's situation was not good at that time, there was not much time in the mansion, and the royal family had royal rules, and the concubines were afraid that because of this set of clothes, people would have an excuse to attack the emperor, so they were always put in the cage." The queen stroked the clothes in her arms, fell into the memory, and a light smile hung on the corner of her mouth.

The Emperor frowned, as if he was also reminiscing about the past, but there was no smile in his expression.

"At that time, the concubines didn't have much time to talk to the emperor, and they didn't want the emperor to bother in the back house, so the concubines have always worked hard to become women who can stand by the emperor's side, and they can only lock the minds of these women in the closet." The queen's smile was a little bitter, "Probably because of her age, the concubines are more and more nostalgic for the past, although the life at that time was like walking on thin ice, it may be the greatest happiness of the concubines to be of the same heart as the emperor and his wife." ”

The emperor's thoughts were pulled back, and he glanced at the empress, and his eyes fell on the clothes in her arms, and asked, "Aren't I and the empress husband and wife now?" ”

"Naturally." The queen nodded without hesitation, but her expression was lost, "When Concubine An and the concubines were separated, although the emperor favored her on the surface, he actually protected the concubines, and the concubines were both moved and grateful. But now that the harem is too peaceful, Feng'er and Zhaoyang have also grown up and have their own affairs, and the emperor has completely mastered the government, and the concubines suddenly find that they are useless. ”

"The queen is blaming me for not accompanying you much?" Holding the empress's hand, the emperor pulled her to sit down and asked with a smile.

"The concubines don't dare and can't." The queen shook her head, "As the emperor of a country, he is concerned about the well-being of thousands of people, how can his concubines compete for favor with the people of the world?" It's just that the concubine hasn't known anything recently, and she has become a little unaware of herself, and every time in the dead of night, the concubine will wake up in a nightmare. ”

"The queen is for Zhaoyang's business, right?" The Emperor asked.

The queen nodded, leaned on the emperor's shoulder, and sighed: "The concubine knows that as the mother of the country, she should let go of the little love in her heart, Zhaoyang is already her happiness as a princess and does not go to kiss, and the marriage will inevitably involve the government." Although the concubine ruthlessly grounded Zhaoyang, she couldn't ignore Zhaoyang's silent resistance. The emperor, the concubine is not a competent queen, let alone a competent queen. ”

As she spoke, the queen burst into tears.

Since Zhou Jin was grounded, the queen has sent people to investigate Zhou Jin's situation every day, and every time she hears it, she is heartbroken.

And today Song Yang was punished by the emperor, Zhou Jin didn't know how to get the news, he actually cried and fainted, and after waking up, he didn't say a word, and he didn't touch a drop of water.

The emperor naturally knew about Zhou Jin's situation, but he only paid special attention to it today, and he was only grounded when Zhou Jin was playful and upset the queen, and he didn't take it to heart.

Only when Zhou Jin was frightened by the assassin and fell ill, the emperor gave Zhou Jin a lot of good things to appease, but at that time it was the critical moment of peace, and the emperor naturally had no time to see Zhou Jin, so he never knew that Song Yang and Zhou Jin were in love.

Listening to the empress's words, the emperor's expression was a little solemn, but he didn't say anything.

"The concubine didn't want to ask the emperor to follow Zhaoyang's thoughts, but the concubine was also a woman, and she was just an ordinary mother in front of her children. The concubine can't show weakness in front of Zhaoyang, nor can she tell Feng'er about her suffering, only in front of her husband can she tell a thing or two of her worries. The queen sat up, pressed the corners of her eyes and said: "This is also the reason why the concubines hope that the emperor can occasionally come to the concubines here as ordinary husbands. ”

After speaking, the queen got up and knelt in front of the emperor, "It's the concubine who has lost her manners, and I ask the emperor to punish her." ”

Seeing the queen kneeling in front of her in a regular manner, she was graceful and luxurious, but she lost the shyness and beauty of the wedding, but time did not leave many traces on her, but precipitated a mature charm.

Young husband and wife, suffering together, the emperor not only respects the queen, but also has the love of husband and wife, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it has evolved into family affection, he knows that the most sincere woman in this harem to him is the woman in front of him.

"Get up, according to the folk words, we are all old husbands and wives, and when there are no outsiders, there is no need to talk about those false courtesies." Stretching out his hand to help the queen up, the emperor took the brocade robe and said: "The queen's female red has always been the most in line with my heart, and it is good to take the time to make a civilian dress for me." It's a pity that Zhaoyang's girl didn't inherit your advantages, but fortunately, she is the princess of the golden branches and jade leaves, so she doesn't need to do this. ”

"The concubine will go to choose the material tomorrow." The queen opened her mouth happily and smiled kindly, "Although Zhaoyang can't be a female celebrity, she is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. ”

"My daughter, even if she is a scourge who can stab the sky, it is the best." The emperor snorted, hugged the queen's shoulder and said, "That girl is my pistachio, I plan to keep her for a few more years, you don't want to lock her up anymore, it's a big deal to restrict her from leaving the palace." ”

"Yes, the concubine obeys." The queen pretended to be helpless and said: "No wonder that girl always says that her father is good, the emperor is really the most distressed by her." ”

"The queen is eating Zhaoyang's vinegar?" The emperor smiled and said: "Come on, I still don't understand you, this is obviously to want a step, you are afraid that you have been thinking about how to release that girl for a long time, but you are afraid that you will lose your majesty in front of your daughter, right?" ”

"Can't the emperor save some face for his concubines?" The queen got up and instructed the palace people who were waiting outside: "Pass the emperor's edict and lift the princess's ban, and you can't leave the palace without the emperor's and the palace's edict." ”

The emperor smiled and shook his head, only when he encountered something related to Zhou Jin, his queen could see a trace of fireworks, not perfect and generous, so that he could not find a sense of reality.

It's just that before the emperor could put away his smile, a eunuch came in to report, and Zhou Feng asked to see him.

The queen hurriedly got up to arrange the dragon robe for the emperor, and her expression returned to the noble posture familiar to everyone in the harem, her eyes were full of worry but she couldn't ask half a sentence.

The harem is not allowed to interfere in politics, this is a rule left by the ancestors, and the queen has never crossed the rules.

"You go to sleep first, and I'll take a look." The Emperor said.

"The concubines can't sleep, the emperor should go quickly, there is no big event, Feng'er will not enter the palace at this time." Sending the emperor away, the solemn look on the queen's face never faded for half a minute, and she instructed her confidants: "Go and prepare some supper, you watch it yourself." ”

Since marrying the emperor, the queen has always paid attention to the safety of food, even if the biggest opponent An Guifei has fallen out of favor, the queen does not dare to take it lightly, this is the survival rule that she can bring up a pair of children safely.

The situation was urgent, so Zhou Feng did not wait in the imperial study according to the rules, but went directly to the queen's outer bed to wait.

"Son-in-law, see father." Zhou Feng's regular salute and please be safe.

"Let's be flat." The emperor took off his robe and sat down, "What happened to let you come into the palace late at night?" ”

"Zhou Ding was assassinated, and his life hung by a thread." Zhou Feng reported the matter of the day to the emperor, frowned and said: "When Zhou Ding left, Erchen sent someone to secretly protect him, but Zhou Ding got rid of Erchen's people, but he was ambushed several times in succession, and when he was finally found by Yelang and others, there were few guards left around him, and the fatal knife was stabbed by his chief guard. ”

"Hmph, it's not a pity for a Zhou Ding to die, but because of him, making peace a dead letter is the real purpose of the people behind the scenes!" The emperor's face was gloomy and terrifying, "I must be thoroughly investigated, I must not let go of the mastermind behind the scenes, I will never tolerate the existence of such people who intend to be unfavorable to the Great Zhou Kingdom." ”

"The retainers obey." Zhou Feng got up and said.

"Where is Zhou Ding? How sure are you that you can save it? The Emperor asked.

"Erchen placed people in Erchen's mansion, for the time being, only the person who rescued Zhou Ding knew where he was safe, but he didn't dare to guarantee that Zhou Ding would survive, and his injuries could not be treated even if the imperial hospital judged him." Zhou Feng frowned.

"You did a good job, don't let anyone know about him until someone from the Western Zhou Kingdom comes to pick up Zhou Ding back." The emperor said in a deep voice: "Let Shen Yi go for treatment, he can save the old general, and maybe there is a way to save Zhou Ding's life." Those who participated in the rescue of Zhou Ding, let them be responsible for protecting Zhou Ding's safety, if you need manpower, your father will transfer it to you. ”

"Father Xie, my son-in-law will start arranging it." Zhou Feng said respectfully.