Shui Qingqing had a long and dull dream......

She walked steeply on the desert alone, and the desert was as far as the eye could see, and there was nothing in sight except the tall and low sand dunes.

The sun was very strong, and it made her very uncomfortable. Suddenly, a strong wind blew again, blowing all over the sky, and she couldn't open her eyes. She wanted to find a place to hide from the wind and sand, but everywhere she went, the sand under her feet began to collapse, and she was so scared that she ran desperately to the sand dunes, but the Saudi Mound also collapsed, and the sand was lost under her feet, and even she had to fall into it together, and she had no choice but to run forward desperately......

In her dreams, she also knew that everything in front of her was a dream, but she was still afraid, she didn't know where to hide, and she didn't know when she was going to escape......

Seeing that the last tall sand dune was blown by the wind and collapsed like a tall building, smashing towards her, Shui Qingqing finally let out a frightened cry and woke up from the nightmare.

When I opened my eyes in a panic, I saw an unfamiliar mattress and curtains, and everything in the room was also unfamiliar.

Only Xiaoxi's voice was familiar to her.

Seeing her wake up, Xiao Xi said happily: "Miss is finally awake!" ”

Shui Qingqing was sweating profusely, and sat up with Xiaoxi's hand.

Xiaoxi helped her wipe the cold sweat on her forehead, brought her hot tea, and said, "Did Miss have a nightmare?" I haven't slept well. ”

Shui Qingqing didn't know how long she had been asleep, but she felt that her throat was dry and uncomfortable, and after taking a sip of tea, she looked around the room with her eyes, and asked Xiaoxi in a hoarse voice: "Where are we?" What about Yun'er? ”

Xiaoxi said: "Three days ago, Miss suddenly fainted in Jingzhao Yin Mansion, and the emperor was heartbroken and took Miss into the palace. ”

"And the little boy was also brought into the palace with the young lady before, but the young lady has been in a coma and has not woken up, and the little prince has no one to take care of, and he was taken back to the Hou Mansion by the Hou master to let the old lady Hou take care of him......"

Hearing this, Shui Qingqing was slightly stunned.

She didn't expect that she had been in a coma for so long, and she didn't expect the emperor to take her into the palace.

As for Yun'er......

Thinking of this, Shui Qingqing couldn't help but think of all kinds of things that happened in Jingzhao Yin's Mansion three days ago.

Thinking that Mei Zijin was the man on the night of the Falling Moon Nunnery, and Yun'er's biological father, Shui Qingqing still felt that everything was too illusory, as if she was in a dream......

Looking at the dim sky outside, it was already nightfall, Shui Qingqing said in a sullen voice: "Now that I'm fine, let the Hou Mansion send Yun'er back tomorrow." ”

Xiaoxi has been by Shui Qingqing's side for more than a year, and she has already figured out her temperament, looking at her gloomy eyes, she can't help but think of what Hou Ye said to her, and said cautiously: "Miss, you are blaming Hou Ye in your heart...... In fact, the incident of that night, Hou Ye couldn't help it......"

"I'm hungry, do I still have food?"

Interrupting Xiaoxi's words lightly, Shui Qingqing held her right hand wrapped in thick gauze, got up and walked to the table and sat down, as if she didn't want to listen to Xiaoxi talk about the matter between her and Mei Zijin.

Although she knew very well in her heart that what happened that night in Luoyue Nunnery, it was no wonder that Mei Zijin was uncontrollable, because any man, in that case, would not be able to control himself if he was poisoned by the incense of love.

But...... Shui Qingqing still couldn't accept it for a while.

Perhaps, in her heart, it was not only to blame Mei Zijin for causing harm to her that night, but also that she didn't dare to face the events of that night......

Seeing this, Xiaoxi didn't dare to talk about Mei Zijin in front of her, and hurriedly asked the little palace maid who was guarding outside to bring food, but she told her about some other things after she fainted.

"Miss, the lady Jin who hurt you was sentenced to sixty boards, and when I heard that I was beaten to more than forty boards, I choked, wrapped in a rotten straw mat, and threw it into a mass grave......"

"And Bai Lingwei and Mama Jin ......"

Speaking of this, Xiao Xi lowered his voice and whispered in Shui Qingqing's ear: "Because it was sentenced by the prince, he still shielded Bai Lingwei, and only pushed everything that harmed you on Aunt Jin, saying that Bai Lingwei's fake pregnancy is a family matter of the Hou Mansion and will be handled by the Hou Mansion itself......

With a cold look in her eyes, Shui Qingqing looked at her broken right wrist, and said unexpectedly: "Everything he did was just to use Bai Lingwei to frame me to expose Yun'er's life experience and the Hou Mansion's crime of bullying the king, and he didn't really want to get justice for me, so I never expected him to punish Bai Lingwei heavily - what's more, the queen and the Yang family are in the same boat, Bai Lingwei is the daughter that the Yang family cares about the most, and Queen Chen and the crown prince will naturally help her keep it." ”

"And I'm not uncommon for him to help me come forward, the grievances between me and Bai Lingwei are best settled by my own hands."

"But Mrs. Hou and Master Hou have already helped Miss out first."

Xiaoxi said with a smile: "Although Master Hou and the old lady didn't directly ask for her life, but they used what she had done to the old lady to the young lady - the old lady Hou asked her to be tied up to the ancestral hall of the Hou Mansion and applied family law. On a snowy day, she stripped off her clothes, whipped her with thorny wattles for thirty lashes, beat her skin until her skin was open, and then twisted her hair, and sent her to the nunnery, saying that she would be left in the nunnery but would not be allowed to return to the Hou Mansion for the rest of her life. ”

Shui Qingqing listened quietly, her face was calm and waveless, and while drinking the millet porridge sent by the palace people, she said coldly: "How can the Yang family be willing to give it up?!" I'm afraid that when she arrives at the nunnery, Bai Lingwei will not be at ease, and the Yang family will also find a way to save her - this mother and daughter, they won't cry if they don't see the coffin. ”

"But now...... Now Miss doesn't have to be afraid of them anymore, although she has suffered a lot before, but now that the truth of everything is revealed, Miss can not only be with Xiao Gongzi openly in the future, but also don't have to worry about other things. ”

Shui Qingqing understood what Xiaoxi meant, she was worried about Yun'er's life experience before, and she was afraid that many of her previous unbearable things would be discovered, so she had been living in a panic.

And now after passing through the Hou Mansion Xitang and Jing Zhao Yin Mansion, all the secrets on her body have been revealed, although the process is extremely painful, but now, there is a sense of relief.

Yes, she doesn't have to be afraid anymore, she and Yun'er will no longer be someone else's weakness, let alone someone else's pawn......

Thinking of this, Shui Qingqing, who should have been happy, felt sour and sad in her heart.

Xiaoxi was about to tell her about Wang Dingbao's family, when there was a call to say goodbye from outside the door, but it was Emperor Jin Ming who came.

Knowing that Shui Qingqing woke up, Emperor Jin Ming rushed over to visit at night, followed by Dr. Sheng.

As soon as Emperor Jin Ming entered the door and saw that Shui Qingqing had gotten up and sat down at the table to drink porridge, his heart was relieved, and he smiled at Sheng Fang: "It seems that the county lord is fine." ”

That being said, let Sheng Fang step forward to help Shui Qingqing take the pulse.

Shui Qingqing led Xiaoxi to get up and salute Emperor Jin Ming, Emperor Jin Ming asked her to sit down, raised his hand and said to Wu Yong, the great eunuch behind him: "Let the dining room bring the food here." Remember, prepare lightly, Guan Qing's body is just right, not greasy. ”

Wu Yong responded on the one hand, and asked the palace people to go down to prepare, and on the other hand, he whispered to Emperor Jin Ming: "Since the emperor wants to have dinner with the county lord here, then the slave will go to Chuxiu Palace to return to the queen's mother, so as not to wait for the mother." ”

Emperor Jin Ming's expression was cold, and he said lightly: "You go in person, and by the way, tell the queen that since you have a head attack, you can recuperate in Chuxiu Palace, and all the affairs of the harem will be temporarily handed over to Concubine Xian to take care of - the affairs of the previous dynasty, let alone worry about her!" ”

It turned out that since returning to the palace from the Hou Mansion for a banquet three days ago, Empress Chen had a 'head attack' and fell ill.

Although she was 'sick', Empress Chen kept asking the palace people to invite Emperor Jin Ming to Chuxiu Palace.

Because of the breaking of Shui Qingqing's wrist, Emperor Jin Ming not only reprimanded the crown prince Li You, but also ordered him to reflect in the East Palace and no longer participate in the imperial court discussions.

In this way, Empress Chen panicked, so under the pretext of being sick, she sent palace people to invite Emperor Jin Ming every day, wanting to plead with Emperor Jin Ming and ask him to forgive the prince.

Originally, for dinner today, Emperor Jin Ming, under the persuasion of the Queen Mother, was going to the queen's Chuxiu Palace, but when he heard the news that Shui Qingqing had woken up, he changed his mind and came to Liangfeng Tai to visit Shui Qingqing......

Hearing Emperor Jin Ming's words, Wu Yong was slightly surprised, but he didn't expect that the emperor would take the power of the queen in charge of the palace!

Wu Yong, who is like a human spirit, will not understand that the emperor is angry with the queen because of the matter of the county lord of Guanqing in front of him, and he can't help but become more and more respectful to Shui Qingqing. Retreating to the door, he repeatedly told the palace people of Liangfeng Terrace to serve the county lord with twelve spirits, and never neglect the slightest.

Emperor Jin Ming stayed to accompany Shui Qingqing for dinner, and took the initiative to talk to her about Wang Dingbao's family.

"I have made the decision for you and dissolved your marriage contract with the Wang family. In the future, live a good life and don't worry about it anymore. ”

When he said these words, Emperor Jin Ming's expression was gentle, and his tone was even more unconcealable care, not like the usual high-minded emperor, but more like a loving elder's care for his junior, even ...... A father's love for his daughter.

Shui Qingqing took a deep breath, held back the tears that were about to fall from her eyes, and choked her throat and said softly.

Emperor Jin Ming looked at her red eyes and said distressedly: "And the matter between you and Mei Zijin, he has come to look for me." He knows that you have a problem with him in your heart, he is very anxious and guilty, he has not closed his eyes for three days and three nights, and he has been staying here before, and he was driven back by me this morning......"

Speaking of this, Emperor Jin Ming's words paused, and he sighed and said slowly: "It's not that I spoke for him, and it's no wonder that he ...... To be honest, I learned that it was him, but I was glad for you. In other words, you and him are destined to be fate, so you can blame him, get angry with him for a few days, and snub him for a few days, but you can't really hate him and alienate him - sometimes, a short miss is a lifetime of regret! ”

From his affair with Princess Wuning, Emperor Jin Ming deeply realized how painful and remorseful it is to miss his beloved in this life, so he persuaded Shui Qingqing bitterly, hoping that she and Mei Zijin would not miss it like him again.

After listening to Emperor Jin Ming's admonition, Shui Qingqing's suffocated heart cracked, and she slowly breathed out, and gradually became less suffocating.

She looked at Emperor Jin Ming gratefully, and said movingly: "The emperor has a lot of opportunities, he is busy with government affairs, and he has to worry about my affairs, and the courtiers are really guilty and uneasy." ”

When Emperor Jin Ming saw that she had finally spoken, he was relieved and regretted: "I have also heard about the Bai family and you. In the future, I will make decisions for you, and I will be your mother's family - Bai Haoqing really disappointed me! ”

After listening to Emperor Jin Ming's words, Shui Qingqing couldn't help it, and finally burst into tears, choking up: "Thank you for the emperor's care." Actually, I don't blame Bai Xiang for treating me like this, because I didn't grow up with him since I was a child, and it's normal for him to dislike me......"

"However, I hated him for being cruel and ruthless to my mother. Until my mother died, he didn't go to the bedside to look at her directly, and he even shielded the wicked person who killed her mother's life, which is the most chilling and hateful ......"

Hearing this, Emperor Jin Ming's hand holding the jade chopsticks paused, frowned and said in a deep voice: "When Wu Ning died suddenly, I also felt unusual. When I went to the palace to mourn, I personally instructed him to thoroughly investigate your mother's death, but later he only told me that the fire in the annex of the Wujing Mansion that day was an accident, and your mother was also frightened by the fire and died of a heart attack, and was not framed—could it be that he deceived me? ”

Speaking of her mother's death again, Shui Qingqing was still heartbroken, and even hated Bai Haoqing for shielding Empress Chen and the Yang family, and deceiving Emperor Jin Ming.

She got up and solemnly knelt down in front of Emperor Jin Ming, bursting into tears.

"Your Majesty, when my mother had an accident, I was with my mother, and only I knew best what happened that day."

After that, Shui Qingqing went to the nunnery to recognize Princess Wuning, took her to the other garden to freshen up, and then told Emperor Ming of Jin in detail about the sudden fire.

“…… Whether it was a fire that broke out in the house or a carriage that someone had tamed and tamed with, someone had done it on purpose. Even when I took my mother back to Beijing to ask Dr. Lu for help, the people who blocked the way suddenly poured out of the streets, and there were killers who wanted to kill me and my mother...... How can all this be an accident?! ”

The more he listened, the more his eyes sank, and finally put down the jade chopsticks in his hand heavily, and said coldly: "How can such an obvious framing be an accident?" How did Bai Haoqing investigate the case?! ”

Shui Qingqing's heart was cold, and she said bitterly: "Bai Haoqing doesn't know this, on the contrary, he knows very well in his heart who killed his mother, not only did he not seek justice for his mother, but even shielded those who did evil, and even deceived the emperor." ”

Emperor Jin Ming's face was already very ugly, and he said in a deep voice: "Do you suspect who killed Wu Ning?" ”

Shui Qingqing's face was solemn, and she glanced at the palace people waiting in the hall. Emperor Jin Ming's heart sank, and he waved them all down, and only Emperor Jin Ming and Shui Qingqing Xiaoxi were left in the palace.

Xiaoxi has been helping Shui Qingqing keep the secret letter properly, as well as the bluestone mold cloth that Nameless helped her find in Chen Guogong's mansion, and after entering the palace, she carefully sewed these things into her clothes, so as not to lose them with many hands.

Shui Qingqing asked Xiaoxi to bring the secret letter to Emperor Jin Ming, and Xiaoxi hurriedly retreated to the inner room to find scissors to unwrap his clothes.

Emperor Jin Ming looked at Shui Qingqing with a serious face, and said, "What secret letter?" ”

Shui Qingqing said: "The night before my mother was killed, the queen mother in the palace sent two secret letters to the Bai Mansion, one for the Yang family and one for Bai Haoqing. ”

Suddenly hearing Shui Qingqing mention Empress Chen, Emperor Jin Ming's expression froze, and there was a trace of surprise in his always calm and majestic eyes, and he said coldly: "What is written in the secret letter?" ”

Shui Qingqing's heart was full of ice and snow, but since the words came to this, of course she would not hide it anymore, and couldn't help gritting her teeth and said coldly: "Queen Chen wrote a secret letter to Bai Haoqing and the Yang family, asking them to prevent their mother from recognizing me and returning to Bai Mansion, and asking Bai Haoqing not to recognize my identity as the concubine of the Bai family." ”

Emperor Jin Ming had already thought of something, and asked in disbelief: "Why did the empress do this—why did she want you to stop you from returning to Baifu?" ”

Shui Qingqing smiled coldly: "Empress Chen is to regret it, she doesn't want to fulfill the promise she promised her mother back then, and she doesn't want to recognize my marriage contract with the crown prince——"

Emperor Jin Ming's eyes sank unconsciously, and his face darkened.

Shui Qingqing continued: "In order to repay her mother's life-saving grace, the queen made a promise to let the prince marry me as a concubine. Later, the queen always thought that I died in the Western Desert when I was a child, but I didn't expect that I was still alive, and I didn't think that I was the Chongxi lady of the Hou Mansion, and I was still a widow, so I was afraid of affecting the reputation of the prince, so I regretted it. Let Bai Haoqing and the Yang family prevent me from returning to Baifu - in this way, I have no identity, and the marriage with the prince will naturally not be counted, and the prince can continue to marry the lord of Linrou as his wife. ”

After listening to Shui Qingqing's words, Emperor Jin Ming's face was completely dark, and he laughed angrily: "It turns out that there are so many twists and turns in this - Wu Ning ruined her appearance for her, and even ruined her happiness for a lifetime." In the end, for fear of affecting her son's reputation and future, she did not hesitate to go back on her word, be ungrateful, and even take revenge ......"

"Who is ungrateful, and will take revenge?"

Before Emperor Jin Ming's words were finished, the door of the palace was pushed open, and the queen mother led a group of palace people in, followed by the prince Li You, who bowed his head.

And Xiao Xi, who had just gotten the secret letter, saw that the queen mother and the prince were coming, and hurriedly put the secret letter away.

It's so late, the Queen Mother is still here, and it looks like it's not good.

Emperor Jin Ming got up and welcomed the Queen Mother to sit on the warm couch, and Shui Qingqing knelt down in front of the Queen Mother to say goodbye.

The Queen Mother's eyes swept over her and ordered someone to help her up.

Emperor Jin Ming said: "It's so late, the queen mother is not resting in the palace, why did you come here?" ”

The Queen Mother smiled coldly and said, "I heard that the county lord has woken up, and the prince wants to come over to visit." But after being scolded by the emperor, the prince was concerned that the county lord was not good to come alone, so he asked the mourning family to come forward and accompany him to visit the county lord - last time in Jing Zhaoyin's court, the mourning family also said a few words to the county lord, and felt guilty, so he came with You'er and apologized to the county lord. ”

The Queen Mother's words are extremely serious, she is the mother of the emperor, her identity is extremely respectful, above ten thousand people, how can she apologize to the little county lord? !

Therefore, as soon as these words came out, Shui Qingqing was so frightened that she knelt down in front of her again, and said in a panic: "The Queen Mother is serious." The queen mother's teachings are very good, and the courtiers are only grateful, never complaining, and ask the queen mother to be clear. ”

The Queen Mother looked at her lightly, and after a while, she personally stepped forward to help her up, her shrewd eyes stared at her at close range, and a cold light flashed in her eyes, half-joking and half-serious: "What do you mean, don't blame the mourning family, but blame the prince?!" The prince also acted according to the law, but he was in a hurry at the time and broke your hand, and now he has come to make amends to you in person, I hope you will look at the thin face of the mourning family, and don't blame him anymore. ”

Without waiting for Shui Qingqing to speak, Li You had already stepped forward and said to Shui Qingqing with a sincere and remorseful face: "What happened that day, my cousin was too impulsive and injured you by mistake, and I ask you to forgive my cousin this time." ”

Shui Qingqing's whole body was cold, she clearly remembered that Li You's ruthlessness in her eyes when she broke her wrist, it was a mistake, and it was obviously deliberately attacked by her.

On the face, in front of the Queen Mother and Emperor Jin Ming, she smiled with a white face and a difficult smile: "It's okay, my hand doesn't hurt anymore." I would also like to thank the prince for helping me get justice. ”

Seeing this, the Queen Mother smiled with satisfaction, turned around and said to Emperor Jin Ming, who had been sitting with a calm face and not making a sound: "Your Majesty, you see, there is nothing between the county lord and the prince, since this is the case, the emperor should not be angry with the prince again, let him go back to the court to discuss matters." ”

Emperor Jin Ming thought of what Shui Qingqing said about Empress Chen's secret letter, and his heart was cold.

But Emperor Jin Ming also saw that the Queen Mother disliked Shui Qingqing, so as not to dislike her for the Queen Mother, Emperor Jin Ming softened his face and said indifferently: "It's a good thing that you can change your mistakes." Since Guan Qing doesn't blame you, my father also forgives you this time. However, you still have to remember that as a prince, you have supreme power, not to let you use power to do whatever you want and hurt others, but to benefit the people. In every word and deed, we must be more cautious and cautious, and we must not act willfully! ”

Li You's face turned white, and he hurriedly lifted his robe and knelt down in front of Emperor Jin Ming, and said respectfully: "Erchen remember the teachings of my father!" ”

In this way, under the mediation of the Queen Mother, Emperor Ming of Jin failed to see Empress Chen's secret letter, and together with the crown prince, sent the Queen Mother back to Cining Palace.

On the other side, Empress Chen, who was looking forward to the arrival of Emperor Jin Ming, did not see Emperor Jin Ming, but received the news that Emperor Jin Ming handed over her power to Concubine Xian, and her heart instantly cooled.

She sat down weakly with the back of her chair, her forehead jumping abruptly, and her gorgeous face turned pale.

Red Sleeves was also shocked by this sudden news, gritted his teeth and said hatefully: "It must be that slut who sued in front of the emperor, otherwise, the emperor obviously promised to come to accompany Niangniang to dine, but he went to her again, and suddenly took the power of the palace in Niangniang's hands...... If not, the emperor didn't treat the prince like this when he punished the prince before, why did she go where so many things happened?! ”

Empress Chen's whole body was cold, and she said in a panic: "Could it be that slut told the emperor about the old things twenty years ago?" Or about Wu Ning's death...... Hurry up and ask someone to find out! ”

At this moment, a palace maid with a long horse face came in outside the door, stepped forward and knelt in front of Queen Chen, and said, "Niangniang is not good, the county lord of Guanqing knows about you and the Yang family killing Princess Wuning, and also told the emperor about the secret letter you wrote to the Yang family." ”

The horse-faced palace maid is called Rulan, and since Shui Qingqing was taken into the palace by Emperor Jin Ming to live in the cool breeze platform, she was sent by the red sleeves to the cool breeze platform to serve and monitor.

And when Emperor Jin Ming asked everyone to retreat before, Rulan knew that what Emperor Jin Ming and Shui Qingqing were going to say next was very important, so she quietly hid in the ear room where the tea was placed, and heard what Shui Qingqing and Emperor Jin Ming said clearly.

Rulan's proclamation confirmed Queen Chen's guess, and couldn't help but make Queen Chen feel like falling into an ice cave, and she shivered.

After a while, she suppressed the panic in her heart, gritted her molars and said, "You mean, in the hands of that slut, you got the secret letter that this palace wrote to the Yang family and Bai Xiang?!" ”

Rulan nodded: "Exactly." At that time, the slave maid also heard that the county lord asked the maid beside her to take the secret letter to the emperor, but fortunately, the queen mother and the prince arrived in time and were stopped. ”

Empress Chen's back was already soaked with cold sweat, and her fingertips trembled slightly because of the cold, and she had always been strategic, but for the first time, she had the fear of standing on the top of the cliff and being pushed down at any time.

The next moment, a terrible cold light crossed her eyes, and she said to Rulan in a cold voice: "Find a way to take the secret letter written by Bengong from her hand, so, without evidence, Bengong can cross-examine her and slander Bengong - I will get it tonight." ”

Rulan was embarrassed, and said in a trembling voice: "Those things were all sewn into her clothes by the girl named Xiaoxi, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to get ......."

Listening to Rulan's words, Queen Chen became more and more angry, and was about to get angry, but Red Sleeves suddenly thought of something, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Niangniang, there is someone who can help us get things back." ”