In the front yard, Jin Zhuoyan stood in the shadows under the corridor, looking at the courtyard that was still brightly lit but the excitement had subsided.

The little maid tiptoed closer, took four or five steps away, and lowered his hand to report: "Master, Madame came out, said that everything was in order, and asked if you would go back now." ”

"Tell Madame, I still have some business, I'll go back later." After a pause, he subconsciously lowered his voice, and continued: "I have something to do, let her wait for me to go back and rest." ”

The little guy agreed, and lowered his hand and withdrew.

Jin Zhuoyan looked up at the bright half moon in the sky, he didn't know what was going on, or what was going to happen, he couldn't say why, his heart was full of horror, even faint panic.

When Weng Weng explained to him, his demeanor was as usual, and his tone was as usual, he just told him to stay in the palace for a while tonight, and then leave after the second hour.

But early this morning, the eldest princess of Wei suddenly fell ill, Weng Weng did not come, the wife left after noon, Han Shanggong did not come, a few months ago, the queen mother arranged for Han Shanggong to come here, arranged to preside over a matter of affairs in the backyard tonight and tomorrow, Huang Daban came in the morning, and after that, until now, no one in the queen mother's palace came......

Jin Shuyan shuddered lightly, he thought too much, the Queen Mother was in good health, the eldest princess of Wei Kingdom had been sick for eight out of ten days in the past six months, and she couldn't get sick again this morning, no one was surprised......

"Mrs. Tang has already gone back." Lu Yi's words startled Jin Zhuoyan, he was so distracted that he didn't even notice Lu Yi's approach.

"What do you think? So distracted? Jin Cunyan's fright surprised Lu Yi very much.

"Han Shanggong didn't come." Jin Zhuoyan looked at Lu Yi, and his voice was extremely low, "From the morning to now, Huang Daban has been here, and no one has come." ”

"Well, around the beginning of the afternoon, I sent someone to the palace, and when I saw Huang Daban, he said that everything was fine, and it seemed that everything was fine, we were very busy on this day, and the Queen Mother sent someone to take a look and leave, we don't necessarily know." Lu Yi frowned slightly, his expression was a little dignified, and he was also a little uneasy.

"Weng Weng let me go in Hai and then leave." Jin Zhuoyan looked at Lu Yi, a trace of consternation flashed in Lu Yi's eyes, and he stared at Jin Zhuoyan, "Jin Xiang said that he was sick?" ”

"I'm not sick, I went out in the morning, I asked my wife, and my wife said it was okay, let me feel at ease, but my wife ......"

"I left before noon, what happened? What are you doing? In the palace? Lu Yi picked up quickly.

"I don't know, they all say it's okay." Jin Zhuoyan looked around, "What can I do......" Jin Zhuoyan's words were not finished, the old bald donkey arrived in the capital, it must be him, this old bald donkey is a plague god, wherever he goes, there is no good thing!

Lu Yi looked at Jin Zhuoyan's face with a faint trace of anger, and asked keenly, "What did you think of?" Can you say that? ”

"I can't." Jin Clumsy's eyelids drooped slightly, and his answer was straightforward.

"Well, what to do then? ......" Lu Yi looked around, "Where to take precautions?" ”

"I don't know, I'm afraid I can't prevent it, I'll go to Wuzheng again." Jin Zhuoyan's voice was low, he had always wanted to kill that old bald donkey, he should have killed him a long time ago!

"I'll take another look." Lu Yi confessed, turned around and left.

In the upper room of the main courtyard, Duan Yan sent away the little girls, and he and Hu Ying stood outside the curtain with their hands down, waiting to listen to the instructions inside.

The curtain is brightly lit, and the light of the two dragon and phoenix candles that are high and one person is shining brightly, according to the rules, the candle is lit in the evening, and it will be burned out, which represents the husband or wife who goes out first, which means that this life will take the first step.

The royal family is different, naturally will not let one of these two wedding candles burn first and not extinguished, this kind of special wedding candle in the palace, thick and high, to the next day, when the sky is bright, at most more than half of the burn, it will be blown out by the little girls, everything is auspicious.

Li Xia sat intently, and King Qin concentrated on combing his hair, "I remember having a white hair last year, and did I have another one later?" King Qin used a comb to hold it up from below, and let his shiny hair scatter on his other hand.

"Yes, I pulled two this year." Li Xia replied with gossip, but he didn't have the usual ease and informality, "The doctor asked when he was diagnosing the pulse of peace, and he said that people are normal." The eldest aunt said that it was okay, and the aunt said that she must have thought too much about things, and people were worried too much, so her hair was gray, and her aunt's hair was a lot whiter. ”

"Well, your aunt is too worried, being in the royal family also has benefits, at least you don't have to be like your uncle and aunt, get together less and leave more for the rest of your life." King Qin combed a handful of hair in his hand one after another.

"This way." Li Xia pointed to the hair on the other side, King Qin put down the hair in his hand, picked up the side that Li Xia pointed to, combed it a few times, and glanced at the dripping eyes, "I will visit the hall tomorrow on the fifth watch, and then enter the palace, at least we have to be busy, let's rest early." ”

"Okay." Li Xia was nervous in a good word, "Call them in......"

"No, I'll wait for you." King Qin put down the comb, hugged Li Xia from behind, groped down the ribbon with both hands, and gently pulled it away.

In the front yard, Jin Zhuoyan looked at the subordinates who had cleaned up almost, turned around for half a circle, and was about to go to find Lu Yi, just took two steps, and saw Eunuch Huang rushing in in a hurry. ”

"Nothing happened, the Queen Mother hurriedly announced that the prince and the princess would enter the palace, immediately." Eunuch Huang hurriedly confessed, Jin Zhuoyan hurriedly let go, watched Eunuch Huang stride in, and stayed for a moment, only to feel stiff and cold.

It's not that nothing happened, but something big happened.

"Go find General Lu, quick, let him come over immediately, immediately!" Jin Zhuoyan hurriedly ordered the little servant Mingjing, Mingjing agreed, and the person had already rushed out.

King Qin pulled out the ribbon, his clothes were scattered, King Qin loosened his clothes, looked at the half-dewed spring light, lowered his head and kissed Li Xiabai's neck, and sighed with satisfaction, "Little Axia has finally grown up." ”

Li Xia turned around in his arms, reached out and picked up the placket of his long shirt, put his forehead against King Qin's chest, and raised the long robe to cover his head.

King Qin laughed out loud, and was just about to speak, when in a rush of footsteps outside the house, the voices of the mother-in-law and Eunuch Huang came in together, "Lord Wang! Someone from the palace ...... "Lord, Niangniang asked you to enter the palace immediately, and the princess." ”

King Qin and Li Xia rushed out of the curtain almost at the same time, King Qin rushed out in one step, hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop in front of Li Xia, and eagerly, took off his long robe and wrapped it around Li Xia.

Duan Yan had already raised the curtain, "Girl, is it...... Wang Ye, it's Huang Daban, and he said it was ......"

Before Duan Yan finished speaking, Huang Daban had already rushed in, waving his hand to signal Duan Yan, "You guys go out." Duan Yan hurriedly looked at Li Xia, and when he saw Li Xia's signal, he hurriedly took Hu Ying and retreated.

"Niangniang is sick, the illness is sudden, let you and the princess enter the palace immediately, and also, Niangniang confesses, the rules can't be wrong." Eunuch Huang looked at King Qin, and in his tight breathing, he couldn't hide his horror.

"I'm annoyed to wait a moment." King Qin hurriedly confessed, and when his voice fell, Li Xia had already raised his voice and called Duan Yan, "Duan Yan Hu Ying." ”

Duan Yan and Hu Ying squeezed in together and looked at Li Xia in panic.

"It's nothing, the prince and I have to hurry into the palace, wait for a change of clothes, and pick a more dignified one." In a word, Li Xia has already changed his mind I don't know how much, Niangniang is so sick that King Xuanqin and her enter the palace at this time, it must not be a trivial matter, too festive clothes are not good, too plain is even worse, and dignified is the least likely to make mistakes.

"General Lu, please, see if the prince is gone, and if you don't invite in together." King Qin sat down, combing his hair neatly from Hu Ying, and ordered one after another, "A-Niang is sick, does Jin Xiang know?" What about the emperor? ”

"Xiangye is already in the palace, the emperor and Jiang Niangniang's side, when the old slave came out, someone had already gone to report it."

Li Xia and King Qin were in a hurry but not chaotic, and the panic in Eunuch Huang's heart was falling little by little.

Lu Yi and Jin Humble spoke very quickly.

King Qin was outside the curtain, stretching out his arms, and Hu Ying took a few little girls to get dressed and tie their belts very quickly, seeing the two of them striding in, without waiting for the two to stand firmly, he greeted the two and said: "It is said that A-Niang is suddenly ill, and summons me and A-Xia to enter the palace immediately, don't worry, Jin Xiang is already in the palace, and the emperor and Jiang Niangniang have also gone to report it." ”

"I'll accompany the prince into the palace." Lu Yi said immediately.

"Let General Lu accompany you." Without waiting for King Qin to speak, Jin Zhuoyan took a half step forward and said in a firm tone.

"No, you don't." Li Xia's voice came out of the curtain, "Niangniang is not a fish in the palace. ”

"Asha is right." King Qin answered: "If it really is...... That's the net of heaven and earth, what can you do alone? It's better to be outside. ”

Jin Chuyan nodded and stopped talking, and Lu Yi answered, "I will send the prince to the gate of the palace, and I will keep the shadow guarding." ”

King Qin responded, Hu Ying and the others had already waited for King Qin to change his clothes, almost at the same time, the curtain was lifted, Li Xia's hair was simply pulled up, only a golden step was used, an indigo gown outside the royal blue skirt, Duan Yan also changed into indigo clothes, holding an indigo thin cloak and followed closely.

King Qin stretched out his hand to grab Li Xia, and just as he was about to take a step, he paused, looked at Jin Cunyan, and solemnly confessed: "Don't act rashly. ”

Jin Zhuoyan opened his mouth, but he didn't speak, only bowed his head and bowed in response.

Li Xia was pulled by King Qin, trotted all the way, and went straight to the second gate, the car was already ready and waiting, Li Xia and King Qin got into a car, Lu Yi got on the horse and followed closely by the car, and went straight to the palace.

King Qin pulled Li Xia and rushed into the palace gate almost at the last moment before the palace gate was lowered.

In the Huitong Gate, a small chamberlain was carrying a glass lamp, anxiously waiting in the palace gate, seeing King Qin and Li Xia rushing in, Eunuch Huang followed closely behind, suddenly relieved, and couldn't help but smile.

King Qin stared at the little chamberlain who quickly smiled back, bowed down to salute, and felt relieved, only to feel that his legs and feet were sore, it seemed that even if there was something, it was not something he didn't dare to think about.

Li Xia glanced at the little chamberlain, looked around, and saw that there was nothing unusual around, and he was relieved, the people of Xuanning Palace can take it here, everything is as usual, at least the situation is under the control of the Queen Mother, and if it is under control, there will be no big deal.

Both of them relaxed, and then they realized that the hands of the two of them were clasped together, and the sweat was soaked in coldness. Li Xia pulled out his hand from King Qin's hand, stuffed the handkerchief into his hand, looked down at his hand, reached over, and rubbed it on King Qin's sleeve.

King Qin wiped his hands and handed the handkerchief to Li Xia, and the two of them walked into Xuanning Palace all the way without stopping.

Jiang Niangniang paced out of the porter with an indescribable expression, "Niangniang said that she was suddenly sick, the imperial doctor has already arrived, and I have already arrived, you ask the imperial doctor, how is Niangniang's illness, send someone to tell me." In the last sentence, Jiang Niangniang looked at Li Xia and said.

Li Xia lowered his eyebrows and lowered his eyes, and his knees should be bent.

"Mother, hard work." King Qin bowed respectfully, but his footsteps only paused, leaned to the side, bypassed Queen Jiang, and went inside.

Li Xia bent his knees and lowered his eyebrows again, followed closely behind King Qin, and trotted inside.

Empress Jiang turned to look at the two people who were trotting along the corridor, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her heart was full of confusion and apprehension.

In this Xuanning Palace, which looks calm, something very must have happened to summon this newlywed couple who should be worth a thousand gold at the moment of the Spring Festival to come in in such a hurry.

But what happened? Sick? Ha! Empress Jiang sneered, it would be nice if she was really sick, but what else could it be besides being seriously ill? What does she want to do?

Do you want to invite the emperor to come up and take a look at it through the emperor's rush?

But what if that's what she's going to do?

It was so abrupt and ridiculous that she couldn't think of what she was going to do. I don't even know if something really happened......

She's at a loss right now, and she's clueless to do something, which will only do bad things.

Empress Jiang took a deep breath, took a step back, turned around, entered the gatehouse step by step, sat down, she just sat here and waited, she wanted to see, what she was going to do, what she wanted!

King Qin strode forward, entered the weeping flower gate, bypassed the carved screen, and then paused, looked at Han Shanggong who came out in a hurry, opened his mouth, and at that moment, his throat was dry and hoarse, and he couldn't speak.

"Is the mother alright? Nothing, right? Li Xia took a step forward and asked in a suppressed voice.

"It's okay now, come in." Han Shanggong said as he turned around and hurriedly walked inside.

King Qin's face changed, his steps were much faster than just now, he crossed Han Shang Palace and rushed straight in.

Li Xia didn't follow, grabbed Han Shanggong, and asked in a low voice, "The emperor didn't come?" ”

"Niangniang instructed, saying that she was just happy, drank a few more glasses of wine, made a little old mistake, nothing happened, just rest quietly, the emperor wants to go to the early court, so he doesn't have to come." Han Shanggong replied very carefully.

Li Xia snorted and pointed outside, "Jiang Niangniang has been guarding the gatehouse?" ”

"Jiang Niangniang's side, I heard that I was going to invite the prince and you into the palace immediately, so I came over, Niangniang said that she had a headache and was upset, and she wanted to be quiet, she didn't let her in, she refused to leave, and kept guarding." Han Shanggong slowed down, and his voice was lowered.

"Let people guard her from breaking in." At the door of the main hall, Li Xia finally commanded.

"It's already arranged." Han Shanggong agreed, and followed Li Xia into the main hall.

In the main hall, the candlelight was warm, the fragrance of flowers was pleasant, and the Empress Dowager Jin was the same as usual, leaning on the couch, dressed in homely clothes, with a faint smile, her gentle gaze fell on Li Xia, and she raised her hand to signal that she didn't have to be polite.

King Qin stood straight in front of the couch, Li Xia could even see through his clothes, he was tense, Li Xia paused, followed King Qin's gaze, and looked at the thin old monk sitting cross-legged under the shadow of the lamp in the corner of the house.

The old monk's eyes were clear and bright, and he was looking at Li Xia intently.

The old monk's gaze was warm and peaceful, but he couldn't tell why, but Li Xia's heart shrunk into a ball, and he subconsciously approached King Qin and stuffed his hand into King Qin's hand.

King Qin clenched Li Xia's hand, looked away at the Empress Dowager Jin, and his voice was slightly hoarse, "You called me here for him?" ”

"It's not." A trace of sadness seeped into the smile of the Empress Dowager Jin, "Come and sit, you can talk for a while, let's talk well." ”

"What is he here for? How can you get him to come to the palace? You ......" King Qin's anger was more worried and anxious and a little afraid.

The indescribable fear in Li Xia's heart was even stronger, and for a moment, she was in a trance, as if it was not King Qin holding her hand, as if she was holding her son's hand, and she was walking on the way to the throne, but at that time she had no fear.

"Asha sits here." Empress Dowager Jin didn't answer King Qin's words, but stretched out her hand to Li Xia and motioned for her to sit next to her, which was where Li Xia usually sits.

Li Xia secretly took a breath, shook King Qin's hand hard, let go, and sat sideways next to the Empress Dowager Jin.

Empress Dowager Jin raised her hand and pressed it on Li Xia's shoulder, pointed at the old monk, and said in a calm voice as if to say that this tea is good, "This is Brother Yan'er's father." ”

"Auntie!" King Qin was stunned for a moment, and then exclaimed, how could she say this to Ah Xia!

Li Xia's stunned was even worse than that of King Qin, and for a moment, an extremely ominous feeling arose in his heart, and he didn't look at the old monk, but only stared straight at the Empress Dowager Jin.

"You're better than Brother Yan." Empress Dowager Jin avoided Li Xia's frightened gaze, patted Li Xia's hand, turned her head to look at King Qin, and said, "You sit down, listen to me, there are many things to say." ”

King Qin's face was pale, and he didn't sit down on the chair pointed by the Empress Dowager Jin, but took a step to the side and sat on the couch next to Li Xia.

"Let's just talk about the old saying, you are a smart child, if there is anything you don't understand, you just ask." Empress Dowager Jin looked at Li Xia, and Li Xia nodded hurriedly.

"Just from ...... I talked about it when I was eight years old. When I was eight years old, I once went to the Potai Temple with my mother and my eldest brother to offer incense, and on the way back, someone stopped in front of the car, a boy and a little girl, and two or three servants, saying that they were from the Jin clan and came to recognize their ancestors and return to their ancestors. A-Niang didn't know the roots, so she took it back to Changsha Palace. ”

Empress Dowager Jin's voice was soft, this was something Li Xia had never heard of, King Qin seemed to know something, don't overdo it.

"We have to go a little further to make it clear. Our Jin family, from Mrs. Gu's wife, is rich and extended, Mrs. Gu is a jealous child, it is said that there was a concubine who was sent overseas by the clan, this brother and sister are the bloodline of that branch, yes, only the two of them.

Before Mrs. Gu's wife, there was a testament in the Jin clan, and an overseas non-Jin descendant would never be allowed to recognize their ancestors and return to their ancestors.

That pair of brothers and sisters, the girl is about the same as me, she said that she is six years old......" Empress Dowager Jin sneered and looked at Li Xia, "After many years, I realized that she was not six years old, she was nine years old, and her brother was not ten years old, but fourteen." ”

Li Xia already knew who the pair of brothers and sisters she was talking about, but she felt that her back was cold and her scalp was a little numb.

"Daddy said that the precepts of the ancestors cannot be violated, it is the eldest brother ......" Empress Dowager Jin laughed dryly, "The eldest brother has wanted to be a saint since he was a child, he knelt in front of Daddy, and said that it was the fault of Mrs. Gu's jealousy and unvirtuous back then, and she oppressed people with power, and now she can't make mistakes again and again." After a pause, Empress Dowager Jin praised dryly, "That's a good point, later, the two brothers and sisters stayed, they are not surnamed Jin, their surnames are Quan, and they have been surnamed Quan for several generations." ”

"All of them." King Qin said a name in a low voice.

"The Jin family and the Zheng family are world friends, in a hundred years, the marriage continues, my second aunt is married to the Zheng family, is the sister-in-law of the Empress Dowager Zheng, the first emperor brothers and sisters, often to Changsha Palace, I and Wei studied together, at that time, I and the eldest brother, I also feel that I can't write two golden words in one stroke, that pair of brothers and sisters, is our relatives. Daddy and Auntie treat the whole family of brothers and sisters, just like me and my eldest brother, studying together and going in and out together. ”

Later, the emperor was fascinated by Quan Rou, Sister Rou, as the name suggests, as soft as water, touching it with tears, timidity and moving. “

Empress Dowager Jin said word by word with indifference, and Li Xia subconsciously looked at the motionless old monk sitting in the shadows.

"I'm not jealous," Empress Dowager Jin leaned forward slightly and looked at Li Xia, "Because I don't like the first emperor, at that time, I liked to play with the fourth brother the most......"

Li Xia's heart flashed like lightning, she knew who this old monk was, he was the Prince of Jin, his biological mother died in childbirth when he was born, raised under the knees of the Empress Dowager Zheng, and the four princes of the first emperor who were more than blood, the legendary Prince of Jin who died early as an adult!

Empress Dowager Jin looked at Li Xiayuan's eyes, showed a slight smile, raised her hand and patted Li Xia's hand, "You are a smart child." I didn't plan to marry the first emperor, I wanted to marry the fourth son of the emperor, but then I ......"

Empress Dowager Jin's words paused, and after a while, she sighed leisurely, "I got engaged to the first emperor, and a month before the engagement, Quan had told Daddy that his surname was Jin, and the whole family had lost the sacrifice for several generations, which was unfilial, he didn't want to recognize his ancestors and return to his ancestors, he wanted to establish a clan for the whole clan." Daddy was very moved, and the eldest brother was even more appreciative, half a year later, Quan Rou cried into tears, and when she wanted to marry me as a concubine, Daddy agreed, let her join the clan, surnamed Jin, and in the month she entered the palace, she became a golden concubine. ”

Li Xia's fingertips were cold, and he subconsciously held King Qin's hand.

"Quan Rou and I were pregnant around the same time, Quan Rou gave birth to the emperor, and three days later, I gave birth to my eldest brother." Empress Dowager Jin's voice was low and slow. Li Xia looked at the sadness of the Empress Dowager Jin, and the indescribable sadness in his heart.

"I don't know how Quan Rou persuaded the first emperor, the first emperor listened to her, the first emperor was in her tears, it was a pile of rotten sludge!" Empress Dowager Jin squeezed out a few words of sludge from between her teeth, "The first emperor hugged the emperor and gave the eldest brother to Quan Rou, I was too stupid, I saw that the child was not like my child, I didn't expect it at all, I felt that I was too suspicious, I just ......"

Empress Dowager Jin choked violently, and after a while, she breathed, "Two days later, it was Ah Miao, who bathed the emperor...... I'm still in confinement, and I rushed to Quan Rou......"

Empress Dowager Jin held her head up slightly, and tried her best, but she couldn't swallow back her tears.

"The eldest brother is starving to death, thirsty to death, take it back, and ...... starved to death...... I killed all the people in that courtyard, I killed Quan Rou, and I beat her into a pile of mud. ”

Empress Dowager Jin raised her hand to cover her face, tears pouring out of her fingers.