On May 16 of the second year of Yuanxing, three whips sounded above the imperial city of Dashun, and the new emperor ascended the throne, the year name Yongning, and it was scheduled to change the yuan in the following year to show respect for the young emperor.

On the enthronement ceremony, Emperor Yongning posthumously crowned his deceased wife Zhu Xiaoxiao as Empress Shunren.

The Dashun Dynasty changed the dynasty.

It was night, and the weather at night did not become cooler because of the new emperor's accession to the throne, but became more and more muggy because of the impending rain.

Emperor Yongning stood in front of the gate of Yongshou Palace in the night, smelling the fragrance of flowers coming from the dull air, and only felt his brain buzzing. It was as if the three deafening whips on the Jinluan Hall were still ringing in the ears during the day, shaking people's hearts.

With a muffled sound of "boom~", a thunderclap exploded in the ear, and a gap was torn out in the silent sky by lightning.

The light of lightning fell on the vermilion gate of Yongshou Palace, and a solemn rise rose out of thin air.

Xiao Jingzi looked up at the lightning sky, and said cautiously to Emperor Yongning, "Your Majesty, it's so late, I'm afraid that the Queen Mother has already slept peacefully." ”

Emperor Yongning stood there, without a trace of expression on his handsome face, but there was perseverance in his deep eyes, as if he wanted to see through the palace gate of Yongshou Palace.

Seeing that Emperor Yongning didn't speak, Xiao Jingzi said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the slave stepped forward to call the door." ”

Emperor Yongning's face still had no expression at all.

Xiao Jingzi's heart tightened, put the dust in his hand on his waist, and stepped forward to pat the palace gate of Yongshou Palace.

But before Xiao Jingzi's hand fell, a thunderbolt fell from the sky and slashed into the sky above the Yongshou Palace, making an explosion.

Xiao Jingzi was so frightened by this thunder that he withdrew his right hand with a "mom" sound, and after coming back to his senses, he knelt at the feet of Emperor Yongning, trembling.

Emperor Yongning looked up at the heavens and asked, "Are you trying to stop me from entering this palace gate?" ”

The answer to Emperor Yongning was two bolts of lightning that brutally tore the sky apart.

"As an emperor, the whole world is mine, what place can't I go?" Emperor Yongning snorted coldly, as if he was angry with the sky, and said, "I have to step into the Yongshou Palace today!" ”

After that, Emperor Yongning raised his legs and walked to the palace gate, raised his right hand to push the palace gate of Yongshou Palace.

But before his hand touched the vermilion palace gate, the palace gate seemed to have succumbed to the dragon power of Emperor Yongning, and he opened it inward.

Emperor Yongning looked up at the sky again, the inky night sky was clear and light, and there was still the appearance of the thunder just now.

Xiao Jingzi gasped, listened to the thunder and retreated, and hurriedly picked up the hexagonal glazed palace lamp that he had placed on the ground before, and handed it to the feet of Emperor Yongning to guide Emperor Yongning.

"Your Majesty, watch your step."

Emperor Yongning bowed slightly, and stepped on the road paved with green jade with the light emitted by the palace lamp.

As he got closer and closer to the Changle Palace, a trace of inexplicable apprehension rose in Emperor Yongning's heart. The right hand he was clenching tightly was actually sweating slightly.

When Emperor Yongning strode into the courtyard of the Changle Palace, there was silence in the Changle Palace, only the occasional sound of a frog falling into the water came from the direction of the lotus pond.

When Xiao Dezi saw Emperor Yongning, he hurriedly walked down from the corridor of the east side hall, knelt in front of Emperor Yongning and said, "Slaves see the emperor." ”

Emperor Yongning stopped, looked at Xiao Dezi and asked, "She, the body of the Queen Mother ......?"

"Niangniang's body is strong." Xiao Dezi bowed his head and replied, "Every morning, I will go to the Buddha hall to worship the Buddha, and when it is late, I will return to the dormitory to rest." ”

Emperor Yongning just wanted to step into the corridor, but suddenly stopped, and he said to Xiao Dezi, "You go and ......."

Xiao Dezi got up and said yes, and went up to the cloister with his head down.

Emperor Yongning turned around and let out a long sigh, looking at the several huge enamel water tanks placed in the courtyard and was silent.

This enamel water tank that depicts the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers was placed in the courtyard by Xiaoxiao and the Empress Dowager during the reign of Emperor Yonghe. The purpose is to transplant the lotus flowers that bloom luxuriantly in the summer to make it easier to see.

When the lotus flowers are not blooming, they raise fish in that tank. The red and green flowers are beautiful.

The first time Lingxi spoke to Emperor Yongning without restraint was when she put brocade fish in these enamel jars.

At that time, Emperor Yongning was still the unfavored eldest grandson of the emperor in the prince's mansion, and Lingxi was still the well-behaved and likable palace maid Ling'er in front of the Empress Dowager.

Emperor Yongning remembered that that day was the first time he heard the word freedom.

Lingxi sat on the edge of the water tank, pointed to the wild geese flying in the sky and said to Emperor Yongning, "Go out of the palace, live the life you want to live, say what you want to say, and do what you want to do, that is freedom." ”

At that time, Emperor Yongning sneered and said to Lingxi, "It's really stupid. ”

But he was attracted by the glint light in the eyes of the Lingxi, and that yearning for freedom made the Lingxi, who could only be regarded as delicate, be crossed with a layer of golden light, so that Emperor Yongning at that time couldn't take his eyes off.

As if sensing his gaze, the spirit rhino on the edge of the jar smiled back and said, "That's the life that the slave wants." ”

An ideal life, a life that is far away, a life that may not be achieved in a lifetime.

Emperor Yongning slowly believed that freedom was the ideal of Lingxi, just as ascending to the throne as emperor was the ideal of Emperor Yongning.

Until, Lingxi sent a message to him to Deyang Palace.

He stood in the corner of the Deyang Palace, listening to the woman he had been caring for on the tip of his heart and not daring to touch easily, and he became his mother under his father......

Thinking about the past, Emperor Yongning's right hand clenched into a fist, and his head wrinkled tightly.

Xiao Dezi walked out of the hall, knelt beside Emperor Yongning, and said in a calm and low voice, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is gone." ”

Emperor Yongning raised his eyebrows, as if he didn't understand what Xiao Dezi said.

Xiao Jingzi reacted, he pushed Xiao Dezi and said, "What did you say?" You said the Queen Mother ......"

"Your Majesty," Xiao Dezi kowtowed to Emperor Yongning, and said expressionlessly, "The Queen Mother is gone!" ”

After Emperor Yongning reacted, he kicked Xiao Dezi away, strode up the corridor, and entered the Changle Palace.

In the Changle Palace, white candles are burning. The palace maids in the hall knelt on the ground, bowed their heads, and did not make a sound.

After looking at Hanyu, Emperor Yongning stepped forward and asked, "Bold minion, I am newly enthroned, why do you burn white candles in the Changle Palace." ”

Hanyu raised his eyes and glanced at Emperor Yongning, lightly opened his lips, and said, "If you go back to the emperor, after Emperor Ren died, white candles have been burning in the Changle Palace......"

Emperor Ren, the name of Emperor Yong'an after his death.

"Your mother, she ......"

Hanyu kowtowed to Emperor Yongning and said, "The Queen Mother is ......."

"Nonsense!" Emperor Yongning was furious, "It was the day before yesterday, just the day before yesterday, I ordered someone to take the Feng Ling from her hands, and she was fine at that time!" ”

"Your Majesty." Hanyu lowered her head and said lightly, "The Queen Mother is ......."

Emperor Yongning didn't believe it, he looked at the servants in the hall, and said angrily, "You have been waiting by the side of the Queen Mother for more than a day or two, why is she, she ......" Emperor Yongning couldn't say the word, only said, "You don't shed a single tear." ”

Qiaozhu walked out of the dormitory, his eyes were slightly red, but the corners of his mouth were slightly smiling. She knelt in front of Emperor Yongning and said to Emperor Yongning, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is gone." The Queen Mother told the slaves and maids that she was going to the West to enjoy happiness, and she wanted the slaves and maids to be happy for her. If the slaves and maids can't laugh, don't cry, she doesn't want to be held back by the crying of the slaves. ”

Not believing Qiaozhu's words, Emperor Yongning strode towards the dormitory. When he entered the dormitory, he saw a slight smile on the corner of Lotus Ye's mouth, using a wet handkerchief to clean the hands of the Lingxi lying on the bed.

Seeing Emperor Yongning coming in, Lotus Ye stood up, knelt down to Emperor Yongning, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is ......."

Emperor Yongning couldn't hear the lotus leaf's words, he stepped forward and sat on the bed in two steps, and reached out to hold the left wrist of Lingxi hanging on one side.

Warm ......

Emperor Yongning was overjoyed in his heart, he turned around and angrily reprimanded the lotus leaf, and said, "Bold slave!" Your mother is obviously ......."

Emperor Yongning's words stopped because he couldn't feel the pulse of the spirit rhino.

Lotus Ye raised her head, and the tears in her eyes fell big drops, but the smile on the corner of her mouth was still bright. She smiled at Emperor Yongning and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is here, just when you walked into the Changle Palace, ......"

Emperor Yongning looked back at Lingxi, as if all this was a dream.

Lingxi lay peacefully on the bed, wearing a moon-white bedclothes, his long hair was untied, and there was a trace of moisture. His cheeks were slightly rosy, and there was a clean and indifferent smile on the corner of his mouth......

On the side of Lingxi, there was a pale green porcelain vase, and there was still a little black liquid left in it.

Emperor Yongning suddenly realized that if he didn't step into the Yongshou Palace, Lingxi would not die.

Emperor Yongning stretched out his hand and wanted to touch Lingxi's cheeks, but at the moment he was about to touch it, he took his hand back.

He did not dare to blaspheme.

"Your Majesty." Lotus Ye took a letter from the dresser on one side, handed the letter to Emperor Yongning and said, "Your Majesty, this is left to you by the Queen Mother." ”

With that, Lotus got up and retreated.

With trembling hands, Emperor Yongning unfolded the letter and poured out a piece of letter paper from it, plus a red waist rope strung with seven beads.

On the letterhead, Juanxiu's small block neatly wrote five words: Zhuer is Mingjun.

Emperor Yongning's heart slammed and clutched the red waist rope he had given to Lingxi years ago in the palm of his hand.

For a long time, Emperor Yongning gently held Lingxi's already cold body in his arms, looked at Lingxi's face as if he was asleep, and said bitterly, "Lingxi, now you are the most noble woman in the world, and I am the most noble man in the world." I have nothing else to ask for, I just want you and I to walk into the palace banquet side by side, and you and I can accept the worship of all the people at the same time......"

'Boom~'

Outside the Changle Palace, heavy rain poured down.

----------------------

Heavy rain lasted from mid-May to late July.

When the sun emerged from the imperial city, Emperor Yongning looked at it in a trance.

He thought the sun would never rise again. Holding the two flying pigeon biography from the Houling and Huicheng Palaces respectively, the corners of Emperor Yongning's mouth showed the brightest smile since he ascended the throne.

After three years of searching, Emperor Yongning saw the person he was concerned about every day in a mountain village in Bian Zhou, a water town in the south of the Yangtze River.

The woman who died in his arms, at this time, was wearing a light blue Luo skirt, with the most desirable smile on her face, and took her favorite pair of children to put paper kites by the river.

The swallow-shaped paper kite flew higher and higher with the long axis in her hand, and finally flew into the sky, where it could not be seen.

The familiar voice laughed loudly, "Ruyi, Ruyi, look at that paper kite, flying to the sky." ”

The crystal clear little girl jumped high and laughed, "Tenth brother, look, my mother's paper kite flies so high." ”

Lotus Ye stood beside Emperor Yongning, covering his face and crying bitterly. She knelt at Yongning's feet and cried, "Your Majesty, the slave maid has been by Niangniang's side for more than ten years, and I have never seen Niangniang smile so happily." ”

Emperor Yongning brought out Lingxi's former loyal servant Lotus Leaf from the palace, Qiaozhu has married Shi Hezhan as his wife, and Hanyu also refers to a good family.

Emperor Yongning walked out from behind the bushes, walked to the side of the spirit rhino, and took the spool in the spirit rhino's hand.

Lingxi's laughter condensed on her face, and she looked back at Emperor Yongning standing beside her, and the whole person was stunned.

At the same time, there were also a pair of children of Lingxi.

Emperor Yongning's voice was indifferent to Ling Xi, "I should have guessed your plan from the moment you sent the Ten Princes and Ten Princesses to the Huicheng Palace. You put forward those four conditions to me, none of them are a pretense to reassure me, you make me think that as long as I don't hurt the imperial heir, as long as I promise the five princesses and ten princesses that they will not be married, as long as the five princes have fiefdoms, you will willingly stay in the palace. But in the end, you played a trick of the golden cicada and slipped out from under my nose......"

"Han'er, Ruyi, you go to find your aunt." Lingxi smiled softly at the Ten Princes and Ten Princesses, and after the two children walked away, Lingxi lifted her skirt and sat on the grass, raised her head and said to Emperor Yongning, "I am already dead, and the holy decree was made by you personally." ”

"I can arrest you back," Emperor Yongning looked back at Lingxi and said seriously, "Build a side hall at the back of the Changle Hall and hide you in it." ”

Looking at Lingxi's pale face, Emperor Yongning laughed heartily and said, "I have been tricked by you for three years, and I finally got a game back." ”

With a slight exertion of the thumb and index finger of the right hand, the thread on the spool holding the paper kite broke.

Handing over the empty spool to Lingxi's hands, Emperor Yongning looked at Lingxi and said seriously, "Lingxi, on the way to Jiangnan, I was still thinking about how to catch you back." But the moment I saw you, I decided to give you freedom......"

Looking at Lingxi's slightly stunned expression, Emperor Yongning wanted to reach out to stroke her hair, but in the end he put his hand down.

Emperor Yongning smiled with relief, "By my side, you will never smile so happily." On the contrary, I will become a faint king, and you will become a demon queen who is spurned by all people, just, so be it......"

Lingxi nodded stunned, looking at Emperor Yongning in front of him as if he didn't know him. He could strategize for more than ten years, and finally ascend the throne as emperor, but he easily let go of her.

Emperor Yongning looked at the Lingxi with the same face in front of him, and suddenly asked very seriously, "Lingxi, I want to ask you a word as Li Lingyun, the unfavored eldest prince......

"Say love!" Princess Allure laughed out loud in the bushes not far away, and she said loudly to Lingxi, who was sitting on the ground, "Lingxi, you tell him...... Ouch, Leng Tuo, your uncle! ”

Emperor Yongning glanced up and saw that the princess of Allure was hugged by a handsome man with a black face, and was fighting against it. Princess Allure shouted at Lingxi as she wrenched the man, "You told him you loved!" Hmmm......"

Leng Tuo covered Allure's mouth with his hand, smiled apologetically at Emperor Yongning and Lingxi with a dark face, and said, "Long time no see, you continue to ......"

"Leng Tuo, your uncle, you don't let me speak, the old lady won't go back to the snow country with you......" Allure escaped from Leng Tuo's men and glared at Leng Tuo angrily.

Emperor Yongning stood up, looked at Leng Tuo and asked funny, "Leng Tuo, the proton of the Snow Country, aren't you returning to the Snow Country early?" ”

Leng Tuo smiled and said, "I've gone back and back, and it's a little trouble that hasn't been solved......

After that, resist the struggling Allure and leave.

Emperor Yongning glanced at Leng Tuo and Allure, looked back at Lingxi, who was already laughing breathlessly, and said, "You have been together?" ”

Lingxi nodded with a smile, "Three years ago, it was they who ...... from Houling and Huicheng."

Back then, Lingxi asked Xiao Wuzi to take the letter to find Allure, and he already had a plan to fake his death and leave the palace. Through Ye Jingyan and Xiao Wuzi to pass on the news, Allure, Rui Wang, discussed with her for three full years before the plan was finalized, and finally it was successfully implemented.

The reason why their group of people came to Bian Zhou this time was because King Rui, who was supposed to be under house arrest in King Rui's mansion, found the news of Guan Qiao'er, a civilian concubine who had been divorced by him many years ago.

Seeing the smile in Lingxi's eyes fade, Emperor Yongning finally bent down and stroked Lingxi's cheek. He closed his eyes, felt the delicate touch coming from his right hand, and said, "You're right, I can't afford the life you want." I can't give up the throne in the royal family, I can only let you be a bird trapped in a golden cage......" Emperor Yongning stood up straight, turned his back to the spirit rhino and sighed, "I will give you freedom, and I will do what I say." ”

Lingxi sat on the grass, watching Emperor Yongning appear and leave beside her as if in a dream, and then, the lotus leaf ran over crying from a distance.

The lotus leaf knelt at the feet of the lingxi and cried bitterly, "Niangniang, Niangniang......"

"Call Madame." Lingxi wiped away the tears of the lotus leaf with a handkerchief, "Don't cry, am I fine?" ”

The Ten Princes and the Ten Princesses rushed over from afar, and the Ten Princesses complained loudly before they could run to them, "Mother, the cold-faced King of Yama bullied Aunt again!" ”

Tang Ruoxi and Tang Ruoyi followed behind with slightly red faces, and said one by one,

"If the prince doesn't bully the princess, where will you have younger brothers and sisters."

"It's just ......"

(End of book)