For the next few days, Chen tried to keep things going as usual, but it took a lot of energy to do so. He felt that there was a hole in his heart, and the warmth that had been condensed in his heart some time ago was rapidly draining from this hole.

Even Ye Tongying felt the depression that Chen Youcong was hiding. Once, Jin Guifei invited Chen Youcong to go to the Imperial Garden to play, accompanied by Ye Tongying. When she was away from the sight of Concubine Jin and the emperor, Ye Tongying quietly asked Chen Youcong: "Brother Prince, why have you been sullen for the past two days?" ”

Chen Youcong paused for a moment and said with a smile: "Where am I depressed?" It may be that it is about to enter early summer, and the weather is feeling. I've never been heat tolerant. ”

Ye Tongying sighed: "Don't hide it from me. Whether you are happy or not, I am naturally conscious. Is it because the death of the lady is coming, and you feel sad? ”

Yes, it's almost my mother's death day again. On the second day of June, my mother passed away in early June. At this time of year, Chen Youcong's mood is always very depressed, even when he has not yet learned the true cause of his mother's death.

Chen Youcong bowed his head and was silent.

Ye Tongying knew that Jin Guifei didn't like to mention Concubine Ji Shu very much. Although she didn't know what was going on, she could also feel that there should be a lot of inside information. But she really wanted to make Chen Youcong happy. So he said:

"Brother Prince, you come!"

Saying that, he drove away the attendants who followed behind him, and came to the front of the flower garden alone with Chen Youcong, picked a handful of various flowers, held the flowers, and walked out of the imperial garden to the southwest.

That's the direction to the Longevity Palace. Longevity Palace is where Concubine Ji Shu lived in the last month of her life. After she was named Concubine Shu, she moved into the Longevity Palace, and the emperor kept going to the Longevity Palace to visit Concubine Shu and Xiao Chen Youcong. may be because of this frequent visit, which caused Jin Guifei to be jealous, causing Concubine Ji Shu to die in Huangquan not long after.

I don't know for what reason, after Concubine Ji Shu went, the Longevity Palace was sealed, and no concubine lived in it again, nor did it be repaired. Only a few palace people are in charge of cleaning here.

Although the yard was clean, the flower beds were overgrown with weeds, and the railings and pillars in the corridor were mottled and desolate.

Ye Tongying walked to the door of the main hall, put the flowers on the ground, knelt down without hesitation, and prayed in a low voice:

"Lady Niangniang, I wish you all the best! You must be the Nine Heavens Fairy who descended to earth and returned to the heavenly realm after traveling through the world. Your son, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, is gifted and kind-hearted, and is loved by his subjects. The courtiers deeply admired and were willing to follow the prince's left and right, take his suffering as suffering, and take his pleasure as pleasure. There is an end to the years, and this heart is unswerving! He bowed deeply as he spoke. Then he stood up, looked up at Chen Youcong. There was a deep flush on her face, and her eyes were shining, unflinching.

Chen Youcong couldn't bear such a stare. He lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "Thank you, really...... Thank you! "The taste in my heart is complicated and difficult to understand.

Ye Tongying's move is tantamount to openly confessing to Chen Youcong. Chen Youcong didn't reciprocate her with the same enthusiasm, but it didn't matter, she knew that men were like this, they had big things to decide in the court, but they were emotionally taciturn, hesitant and afraid, far less brave than women.

In Ye Tongying's house, this is the case, the women show their abilities, and the men are the spoils of the winner.

On the way back, Chen Youcong was very silent because of the gentle and kind she usually had with Ye Tongying. Ye Tongying seemed to understand his silence very much, and she was not coquettish and flattering like usual, but quietly accompanied her. Chen Youcong sent her back to the gate of Anxi Palace all the way to Changning Palace.

This night, Chen Youcong was quite restless. He paced around the study, and finally returned to the palace to change into dark clothes and took Feng Hao out of the palace. went out of the gate of Changning Palace, but did not let Feng Hao follow, but asked him to wait in the palace gate, saying that he would go back when he went.

At night, Zhang Weizhao was sorting out the manuscript under the lamp, but heard a gentle knock on the door. She asked softly, who was it? But no one answered. Zhang Weizhao opened the door suspiciously. saw that it was Chen Youcong standing outside the door.

"Can you go out for a walk with me?" Chen Youcong asked softly, and seeing that Zhang Weizhao did not answer immediately, he continued: "You said that you are still my heart doctor. I can come to you if I need help. Now I need your help. ”

Zhang Weizhao pondered for a moment, nodded, then closed the door and came out with Chen Youcong.

They went all the way to the northeast of Changle Palace. Although Zhang Weizhao has been in the palace for almost a year, he really hasn't traveled much, so he doesn't know where Chen Youcong is going.

Chen Youcong took him to a temple, knocked lightly on the corner door, and then someone quietly opened the door and bowed silently, Chen Youcong nodded and walked in with Zhang Weizhao. The corner door closed behind him again.

It was an empty yard with lush vegetation that cooled down in late April. The moonlight is like water, and it seems to have a cold texture when it shines on people.

They bypassed the main hall and walked to the backyard. A fresh fragrance came over me, and it seemed to be the scent of wormwood growing in the corner.

"It was here that my mother passed away eight years ago. Thirty-three days from now will be the day of her death. And eight years ago today, it was the day I was sent to my father to verify my identity. Chen Youcong looked at the apse and said, after saying this, he fell into silence. But Zhang Weizhao, who was standing beside him, seemed to be able to hear from him the panicked and painful cries of the child eight years ago when he saw his mother suddenly fall to the ground and fall unconscious.

After a while, Chen Youcong said, "I'm sorry to bring you here. Are you afraid? ”

Zhang Weizhao shook his head. Speaking of which, she is the lonely ghost, what is there to be afraid of.

Chen Youcong suddenly stretched out his hand to her: "Can I hold your hand?" ”

Under the moonlight, Zhang Weizhao looked at him silently.

Chen Youcong begged: "Just let me hold your hand." The tail note trembled slightly.

Zhang Weizhao knew he shouldn't have done this. But she found that there was no way she could ignore the sadness in his voice. She seemed to feel his loneliness and hesitation. She couldn't bear it.

Since she can't bear it, since she can't refuse, on such a night, let her follow the guidance of her heart, not the command of her brain.

She stretched out her hand and shook Chen Youcong's hand full.

Chen Youcong held her tightly. It's like holding a rare treasure.

Yes, that's what it feels like, just like he's dreamed of so many times, her hands, very warm and powerful. This is not the kind of weak, boneless little hands that people are pushing and heavy, her hands are slender and well-proportioned, and she does things unambiguously. But holding such a hand and being held back by her is so reassuring.

During the day, he and Ye Tongying had already come to the Longevity Palace. At the moment when Ye Tongying knelt down to pray, he felt that he was almost moved. In the past few days, he was depressed and depressed, and suddenly there was such a person, full of warmth, approaching him, which made him feel shaken for a moment.

He thought, is this my fate? Am I supposed to accept this fate? Ye Tongying is not a golden concubine, she is just an innocent girl, if she really loves me, can I accept such feelings? If I accept such feelings, at least in the last few years, I will be able to find peace.

But when this thought came to him, it caused more loss than joy in his heart. Another voice sounded, no, it's not like that, it's not the life you want.

The seemingly heartfelt confession, the seemingly enthusiastic gaze, but the things wrapped behind him made him feel empty and cold.

And when he held Zhang Weizhao's hand in his hand, he felt very real and satisfied. These days, those vanished forces are quietly back.

"I respect your choice, I don't ask you to wait for me. However, I will work hard to be able to be with you in the future. Not a member of the harem.,Not the only one.。 It's me and you. If I can do it, I'll come to you. If I can't, I won't bother you. Chen Youcong said in a low but firm voice.

In such an abandoned garden, under such a cold moonlight, Zhang Weizhao felt that the hand holding him was so hot.

Listening to Chen Youcong's announcement, a strange emotion rose from his chest. Zhang Weizhao frowned, she had already repeatedly dealt with her feelings about Chen Youcong, and she was sure that she could adhere to the principle of a doctor, but this feeling in her chest seemed to ignore her own analysis, and spread out regardless of it.

She didn't say anything, but she didn't withdraw the hand she was holding.

Entering May, in order to have a good Dragon Boat Festival, the palace was really busy for a while. The arrangements of the Dragon Boat Festival are lively and labor-intensive, such as inviting the clan and important ministers to the West Garden to watch the dragon boat race, and then having a banquet, eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine, and the banquet will be entertained with various programs. After all this, everyone in the palace felt tired, and the next half month was very quiet.

In late May, the new lotus in the West Garden first bloomed, and the queen did the east, inviting the queen mother and the concubines of the harem to the West Garden to enjoy the lotus, drink lotus wine, and eat lotus shortbread.

In the queen's invitation, Jin Guifei did not pay attention to it in previous years. This year, I was invited. Because the crown prince and Yu Miaoqing will be present, Jin Guifei will naturally bring Ye Tongying over.

Jin Guifei has not taken Queen Yu in her eyes for many years, and in her impression, Queen Yu is a cowardice who pretends to be virtuous everywhere, and when she is angry, she lowers her eyebrows and makes a little daughter-in-law.

As Jin Guifei got older, she didn't want to be angry with those young concubines in the harem, and the left and right were just Chen Jianjun's temporary novelty, and she would be left behind in two days. As for Queen Yu, who is not even a temporary freshness, don't take her to heart.