Because Pei Baoer had no good impression of the Empress Dowager Qin, she was mentally prepared before entering the palace, and the filial piety gifts she brought were just "assembly line products" to meet the situation. What I didn't expect was that the small banquet in the palace on this day was actually harmonious, and the guests and hosts were happy. Needless to say, the faint flattery between the aunts and sisters-in-law, even Princess An reluctantly pressed the faint unwillingness to have a relationship with her, and no one questioned the specific details of her disappearance in the past three years, such as her innocence and Xiao Yan'er's bloodline.

The only thing that made her faintly uneasy was the Qingjun boy she met when she went to Jumo Pavilion to pick up Xiao Yan as a child.

She saw him from a distance on the corridor outside the study, at first, she didn't react, it was the little yellow door next to her who reminded her in a low voice, and she carefully looked at the dragon pattern on the young man's clothes, and then recognized that this was the current young emperor.

Back then, she used the excuse of being sick and weak to turn down a lot of entertainment, but the invitation from King Rui's mansion, if she wasn't really sick, she would probably still go. Because, she actually likes this little couple.

Male and female, one is literary and charming, and the other is gentle and dignified. Outside, Rui Wang went to the Ministry of Rites on an errand conscientiously, and basically couldn't hear his negative comments. Inside, although King Rui himself is a merry and talented man, there is only one concubine and one concubine room in the house, all of which are promoted by the palace people who served in the old years, and they never spend time drinking, and entering and leaving the Qinlou Chu Pavilion is just to eat and drink, and make poems. In short, he is considered to be clean and self-conscious among the royal family with concubines. As for Princess Rui, she didn't say that the standard ladies are beautiful, and they never say bad things about anyone, nor do they engage in the common selfish methods among women in the back house.

Pei Baoer has always felt that this model couple is actually very suitable to be the next successor of this empire, but unfortunately they are short-lived.

Four years ago, she should have seen this little emperor once or twice, it was in the Rui Wangfu, Rui Wang himself or Princess Rui's birthday banquet, she didn't remember much, at that time, because of Princess An's instigation, what nonsense about hugging other people's boys is conducive to fertility, she was difficult to ride a tiger, so she had to reluctantly hug him who was only four or five years old.

But the shy, blushing boy she remembered had changed his appearance.

He was a lot taller, probably growing too fast, and the whole person looked extremely thin, and even if the robe on his body was close-fitting, it looked a little empty when it was blown by the wind.

At a closer look, his eyebrows are a little like Princess Rui, but other than that, Pei Baoer can no longer find the traces left by King Rui and his wife on him. After all, she had never seen such a gloomy, indifferent look on the faces of the two of them, if it was just a flash of the moment she saw as she approached.

"The concubine bows to your majesty, your majesty is blessed."

Pei Baoer was a little rusty and made a big salute, but was helped up halfway.

As soon as he raised his eyes, it was the young man who took two steps forward, and a pair of jade-white hands like little adults who had not yet fully developed were holding his forearms, and the strength was just right, and he quickly let go.

Qi Yu said softly: "It's all a family, why should the third aunt be so polite." ”

Pei Bao'er suddenly sighed in her heart, this appearance was so different from Fang Cai's shocking glance, could it be that she was wrong?

The two exchanged a few polite words, she had the intention to observe, but found that she could no longer find the feeling that had just flashed, as if the other party had quickly built a fortress, and the warm and peaceful aura around her body wrapped it in, impermeable.

Xiao Yan'er was young and ignorant, and she didn't have much awe for this emperor's cousin, and when she was brought out of the study by Xiao Huangmen, she saw Qi Yu just arching her small body. Knowing that he could be given a half-day off, the little guy also showed a smug smile to Qi Yu.

"Brother Emperor, the master said, if you don't go in and finish what you learned, you will have to pay double your homework today~"

In the face of his childish words, Qi Yu behaved extremely gentle and tolerant.

Even so, Pei Baoer's heart was always tight.

When leaving, she took Xiao Yan'er's hand and listened to him happily talk about interesting things in the study, such as the master's beard is so long and white, the suburban cousin of King An's Mansion is like a second master, and the cousin of King Kang's Mansion secretly brought a lot of food to school, and so on.

As soon as he released his heartstrings, he glanced back from a distance, only to see Qi Yu still standing in place, as if he was looking at her steadily. Or, in other words, looking at the little inkstone she didn't know at hand.

Pei Bao'er felt a chill behind her.

She only hoped that she was really wrong, and she didn't want that young man to have any special thoughts about Xiao Yan'er.

If this is the case, she is afraid that she will not be able to bear the possible consequences.

In the afternoon, the sky suddenly turned dark, and soon after she returned to the palace, it began to rain heavily.

The first rain since the beginning of summer fell heartily, but it brought a sweltering heat that lasted for most of the day, and there was no sense of refreshment.

The iron-gray sky was full of rain clouds, thunder and lightning intertwined into a not very pleasant classical symphony, and the ticking sound of bean-sized raindrops hitting the eaves and window lattices made Pei Baoer even more upset.

In the evening, Qi Heng quietly entered the inner courtyard again, which was what she expected.

"Today in the Inner Palace, can anyone be difficult for you?"

The man's expression was light, neither warm nor indifferent, as if he deliberately kept his distance.

Pei Bao'er chuckled and said, "Is there anyone who is difficult for me, or, who is difficult for me, how difficult for me, shouldn't you be clear about these?" ”

As far as she didn't know much about him, and the faint jealousy and fear of the people around her, she could guess how much this regent was now.

It is said that the three current auxiliary ministers are all hand-picked by the edict, as for the authenticity of the edict, everyone has a score in their hearts, not to mention this? The outer dynasty can play with the palm, what is a mere Fengluan Palace? She didn't believe that every word and deed of the people today had not been reported to him.

Qi Heng raised his eyebrows slightly, not denying it.

"Be careful of the Qin family and Princess An, as for the others, if you are willing, you can make friends with one or two, if you are not happy, don't care, don't force yourself." There seems to be an unmistakable meaning in the smooth voice.

Although Pei Baoer knew that this was his kind reminder, she felt a little awkward in her heart after all.

She snorted lightly, didn't look away, and then replied in a low voice: "Got it." ”

Suddenly, the young man's eyes were like a sharp sword, slashing through her heart, making her shudder a little.

She hesitated, but still asked: "You, the emperor, ...... you?"

The words are as heavy as a thousand pounds in my heart, lingering on the tip of my tongue, but when I spit it out, I can't say a coherent sentence. Even she was a little confused about what she wanted to ask.

Strangely, Qi Heng actually captured the key information from her staccato and unsentence words, and miraculously comprehended her uneasiness.

"What did you say when you saw him today?"

The little yellow gate that led Pei Bao'er to Jumo Pavilion was from Fengluan Palace on the surface, not his person, but he generally knew who she saw and what she said today. Asking again at this time is a bit of a reluctance to find a topic.

Because of his serious face, Pei Baoer did not notice his secret thoughts, but he just wanted to use his political literacy to find problems from the subtleties.

She frowned slightly, and said slowly while reminiscing: "I didn't say a few words, maybe I heard the rumors outside, and felt that I had not been doing well in the past few years, so I cared a few words." ”

Glancing at his ancient expression, Pei Bao'er couldn't help but ask, "I said, you didn't treat people harshly, right?" ”

This was not a whim, nor was it that she had any prejudice against Qi Heng. It's just that this guy arched a fatherless and motherless nephew to the throne for no reason, how can you look at this move with ill intentions, not to mention the evaluation that he is in power and in the opposition.

Since ancient times, what regent has willingly stopped there and never went further? If you have such thoughts, how can you talk about giving enough respect to the little emperor on the throne?

Qi Heng seemed to have heard something funny, and the corners of his mouth opened a small arc.

"This king is that kind of person in your eyes?"

There seemed to be endless mockery in his deep voice, and it was only at this time that Pei Baoer realized that this was the first time he had called himself "this king" in front of her.

This title suddenly stretched the distance between the two of them even further, but it was also an inexplicable distance that made her feel at ease. At least, compared to being forced to have a deep relationship with him, she would rather live like this without disturbing each other, anyway, there is one person and one yard, and there are many couples who only maintain a superficial relationship these years.

Pei Bao'er settled down and said slowly: "I didn't mean that, it's just that Yan'er has been getting along with him a lot now, if it's between your uncles and nephews, if it's ...... between your uncles and nephews," she pondered the words, "If there is any misunderstanding, I think, it's better to invite a Xixi to the mansion to enlighten Yan'er." After all, everyone in the study is not at the same pace, and the master is not easy to control......"

Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Qi Heng.

"You don't have to worry about that. He paused, the coldness on his eyebrows had melted for some time, and he only looked at her and said softly: "If you lose a strand ......of hair, you can only find ten times more on me." How is it? ”

Kindness? Changed again? Doesn't hold it?

Pei Bao'er was not very satisfied with this answer, but she knew that she was powerless to change the decision made by this person.

She stared at Qi Heng with some frustration, but the other party seemed to inadvertently bring up another topic: "Yes, when did your shop open?" ”

"At the end of the month, there is no date yet......"

She told him a few words about the shop in a daze, and was told a few more words by him. Qi Heng's words were unknown, but she was asked to go to the inner palace less in the future, and only spat out under her questioning.

"The emperor fell seriously ill in the last lunar month, and it was poisoning." His tone was unfazed, as if he were discussing today's weather.

Pei Baoer was taken aback, and then looked at him with suspicious eyes.

Qi Heng looked like a frank gentleman, and her eyes looked back as if she was silently accusing her of living a gentleman's belly with the heart of a villain.

His tone of explanation was calmer: "The emperor seems to think that it was my mother who did it." Therefore, if you want to protect yourself, you should be less involved in the mess in the inner palace. ”