The leaves outside the window are green and yellow, and the flowers on the branches are blooming and grateful.

The years flowed silently from the ditch like silent flowing water.

The days in Nagato Palace are always so long, as if there will never be an end to the day. Sometimes, however, I feel that time flies, and the seasons change in a hurry.

Between the branches, those promising shoots turned yellow and dark in the blink of an eye, and fell lightly to the ground. In the courtyard, those beautiful flowers were just showing their rich demeanor before they were destroyed in the wind and rain. The color of the rouge on the ground, like scattered drops of blood, was shockingly red in the dull mud stains.

Outside the door, the rain was still falling silently.

The misty autumn rain is like an endless gray net, densely shrouded between heaven and earth. There was silence, not even a single bird, only the sound of the wind rolling the rain, overwhelming the sky.

It's been raining for a while.

I haven't seen the sun for a long time, and everything in the room is damp and smelly with a dull musty smell. On the steps in front of the hall, the withered yellow leaves have accumulated a thick layer, and the wild grass in front of the court has long since withered and withered, lying on the ground in a depraved manner.

Everything was wet, cold, and gray.

A gust of cold wind swept in the rain and pounced on me. The sudden cold made me shiver with excitement, and a chill rushed up from my chest. There was a sudden itch in my throat, and the next moment I couldn't stop coughing.

The violent coughing made my chest ache for a while, tears oozed from the corners of my eyes, and I lay on the doorframe like a decaying leaf, panting and out of breath.

Ah followed the footsteps and trotted over, stretched out one hand and gently patted my back, and the other hand had already draped a thick cloak over my body. I straightened up panting, and she quickly tightened her cloak for me, reached out and shook my hands, and said angrily:

"How cold is it! It's cold and windy, don't go in quickly, dare to blow the wind here! ”

Ah Sui's words were urgent and fast, she was in a hurry since she was a child, and she has never changed for so many years. Ah Sui's hands are warm and dry, with the roughness of prickly thorns, and there is an indescribable peace of mind and appropriateness. At this time, her tone was a little affectionate reproach, and it was still the same as before.

"It's not in the way, it's just an old problem. Where did you freeze me? ”

I raised my flushed face and looked at Ah Sui, and tried to smile at her, and I wanted to smile as before.

I guess my smile must be ugly. Because Ah Sui didn't speak, just looked at me like that, and his eyes were full of worry, and a mist gradually appeared. I turned my face away, but I didn't see it, and leaned against the door frame and whispered:

"Ah Sui, you see, it's late autumn again. This year has passed so fast, and it looks like this year is coming to an end again. ”

Ah Sui didn't answer my words, and also accompanied me to look out so quietly. The twilight in the courtyard gradually rose, and the sky seemed to get darker all at once, and I only felt that my state of mind was as bleak as the rain scene in late autumn.

Ah Sui didn't speak, but I seemed to hear her sigh softly in my ears. Or, Ah Sui didn't sigh, it was just a sigh in my own heart. Ah Sui stood silently with me for a while, and said softly:

"Princess, go in!"

I turned around and tried to take a step, but my legs stiffened. This year's rain was too long, and the leg that had been injured in the early years was tormented by the cold weather, and there was a pinprick-like stinging pain. I almost struggled to walk, so I had to lean on Ah Sui's arm and staggered into the house.

The room was already lit by candlelight, and a dim glow shone in the dark shadows. But this dim dusk did not make the room more lovely and warmer, but it made the corners of the tables, chairs, beds, and couches in the room look more and more dull and old, and there was an indescribable desolation and pity.

I leaned on Sui's arm and sat me down at the table.

The wind crackled against the window, and a lot of cold wind poured in through the cracks by the window, making the lonely candle on the table falter. In the candle pond, the melted red wax was like a pool of hot blood and tears, and the cluster of flames that drowned was almost dying.

I stared at the flickering flames, plucked the hosta on my sideburns, gently picked the candle center, looked at the flame that was bright again, and said with a smile:

"Fortunately, the inner court has not cut off our daily offerings, otherwise, I really don't know how to live such a miserable night."

Obviously, I'm not funny. Because I caught a glimpse of Ah Sui turning his face away and raising his hand to gently wipe the corners of his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

I pretended I didn't see anything.

What if I saw it? If I asked, Ah Sui would have said that he was just squinted by the wind.

Over the years, in these many days, Ah Sui and I have learned to lie and cheat each other like this.

When I raised my eyes again, Ah Sui's demeanor had returned to normal. She said softly:

"I asked the crow slave to make some porridge for the princess. It was cold, so I drank it to warm up. The princess drinks a bowl and then sleeps? When the time comes, the soup lady who the crow slave put in the princess's quilt should also warm up the quilt. ”

In the early years, I had a stomach ache that caused me to feel cold and sore in my stomach when the season changed or when it was cold, and now I really have no appetite at all.

But I nodded my head and said obediently:

"Well, it's up to you."

Ah Sui's eyes had a little brighter, and a smile flashed at the corner of his mouth. I don't know what's going on, but I feel uncomfortable and want to cry when I see her like this. All I can do for her now is just a little bit of a white lie.

The crow slave brought the porridge and served it with two side dishes, which were soaked in the thin heat.

I know in my heart that this is definitely not the kindness of the palace dining room, it can only be the craftsmanship of the crow slave.

The crow slave was born without speaking, but he was extremely intelligent, and he always learned any handicraft, especially good at cooking.

I took a bite, nodded slightly to her, and made an affirmative gesture, and the Raven Slave laughed happily.

The porridge is very well boiled, melts in the mouth, and almost does not need to be chewed. The side dishes are simple, but the flavor is very authentic. I pinched the spoon and mechanically put the porridge into my mouth one bite at a time, but I didn't know the taste.

Ah Sui and Ya Nu stood in front of me, watching me drink porridge, their faces full of eagerness, like children waiting for recognition, afraid that I would say something bad.

This scene is familiar.

Many years ago, in the palace of King Lingyang, they also looked at me so eagerly, hoping that I would be able to eat more and grow a little more meat.

My heart was sour, but I smiled on my face and tried to eat more seriously.

By the time I finished the small bowl of porridge, it was completely dark outside. Ah Sui served me to wash up a little, settled me on the bed, carefully folded the quilt, and said:

"Go to bed early."

I nodded slightly on the pillow and closed my eyes gently.

In the darkness I heard Ah Sui gently put down the tent hook, and seemed to stand quietly in front of the bed for a moment, before walking away lightly and blowing out the candle with a "poof".

Ah Sui's footsteps grew farther and farther away, softer and softer, and finally the sound was silent.

I opened my eyes in the dark.

There were no fingers in the entire Nagato Palace, there was no sound, and it was as silent as a tomb.

Oh, it's not like, I smiled bitterly in my heart. This is a tomb, and I am just a living dead living in the tomb.

This empty tomb buried my dreams, my youth, my family, and my love. Now I am empty-handed, and I have nothing but this long and endless night.

I don't know when the wind outside has stopped, and there is a faint sound of sheng flute singing. The sound was ethereal, unreal, as if it had come from another world far away.

In that world, the silver candle is feverish, the slow song and dance, the beads are surrounded by greenery, and the shadows are in pairs. But he is deceitful, murderous, and frightening step by step.

But that world has nothing to do with me anymore.

I closed my dry eyes tiredly, and there was no trace of envy or hope in my heart, only a vast sadness.

The weather is getting colder and colder, a year has passed, and in the blink of an eye, it has reached the end of the year.

This is also the happiest time of the year, the most singing and dancing.

The solemn palace on weekdays has gradually added a lot of festive atmosphere. It seems that those high-ranking nobles, concubines, and nobles finally remembered that they were flesh and blood, and suddenly there were a little more emotions and six desires and fireworks in the world.

The bright red lanterns were raised high, the door and window flowers were also posted all over the palace, and the branches in the courtyard were tied with colorful silk into various flowers, reflecting the bright corner lamps hanging at intervals on the branches, which looked brilliant and shining, and there was a royal scene of wealth and wealth.

All parts of the palace were busy preparing things for the New Year, and the palace maids in each palace finally loosened the mask on their faces all year round, and their indifferent expressions added a bit of joy. The palace maids had red velvet flowers on their heads, or large palace flowers with internal silk yarn, and they spoke auspicious words in their mouths, trying their best to please their masters.

Of course, all this happened outside Nagato Palace.

In Nagato Palace, everything is the same, as if time has stopped somewhere.

The trees in the courtyard had long since lost their leaves, the withered branches shivered in the cold wind, and the sparrows foraging for food stopped on the trees in a daze, as if they were frozen stupid, and they looked a little pitiful.

I haven't been out of the house for a long time.