Since that night's farewell, Chang'an has never seen Chu Ying again.

It was not until the birthday banquet of the Queen Mother in the fourteenth year of Yongchang that the Queen Mother noticed that Chu Ying was not at the banquet, so she casually mentioned to the emperor, "Why didn't King Jiangling come?" ”

The emperor smiled slightly, and said with relief, "There are frequent wars in the northwest, and the ninth brother is here wholeheartedly, and he has been a little sick recently, so it is inconvenient to come." ”

The Queen Mother frowned slightly, sighed and said, "Then the emperor has to tell the prince to pay attention to rest." ”

The emperor smiled gently, "Erchen understands. ”

Chang'an sat beside the emperor, listening to this back and forth conversation, and he had no interest in eating. She only looked coldly at Shen Changle sitting on the emperor's right hand, smiling towards the emperor, that sweet smile was almost dripping.

Chang'an was disgusted, so he only drank a glass of wine alone and stopped looking at them.

Back in the palace, Wanxiang helped Chang'an remove her makeup and comb her hair, and Hanyan brought a basin of water soaked in rose petals to Chang'an to clean her hands, and said casually, "This King of Jiangling is really strange, the palace is so close to the palace, and it is okay not to come to the palace usually, and he didn't even show up for the queen mother's birthday banquet, and he didn't even give it to the emperor and the queen mother." ”

Wan Xiang was stunned when she heard this, and before she had time to look at Chang'an's face, she quickly said, "There have been wars in the northwest region recently, and the prince is busy with these things, haven't you just heard what the emperor said?" The prince is tired and sick for this, how can he take care of the queen mother's birthday banquet. ”

Han Yan smiled and said indifferently, "Where is it so easy to get sick?" The prince was born as a general, but the emperor just found an excuse. ”

"But I don't think that's the case......"

"Then what do you think King Gangneung should have for not entering the palace?"

"I ......"

The two of you said it word by word, Chang'an listened, and it was not a taste in his heart. She knew better than anyone why Chu Ying didn't appear in the palace, nine times out of ten, it was also because of her, thinking of this, she felt even more bored, and only said, "Don't say it, you all go down." ”

Hanyan was a little stunned, but he didn't dare to disobey his master's words, so he retreated with Wanxiang Shi Shiran.

As soon as Han Yan walked to the door, she saw a half-height figure standing outside the door, she looked at it intently, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Great prince!" ”

Chang'an in the dormitory heard the sound, and hurriedly got up and came out to see, as soon as she saw Yun Ke standing at the door, she immediately took his hand, and said quite distressedly, "Why don't you stand at the door and not come in?" With that, she looked around slightly, "Why is no one following you?" ”

Yun Ke shook his head gently, with a hint of melancholy in his eyes, "They all thought I was asleep...... But I couldn't sleep, so I came to the queen mother......"

Chang An gently touched his little face and said softly, "Come in." ”

Yun Ke stood at the door, refusing to move, he looked at Chang'an, and said hesitantly, "Queen Mother, can I sleep with you......

Chang'an's heart was moved, he sighed slightly, turned his head to Han Yan and said, "You come in and serve, the eldest prince will rest here in the palace today." ”

Hanyan nodded warmly, and whispered to Wanxiang, "You go back first, I'll keep vigil today." ”

Evening fragrance bowed her head and gently closed the door of the temple behind the three of them.

Chang'an took Yun Ke's hand and walked into the hall, helped him change his shoes, and gently tucked the quilt corners for him, and said gently, "Sleep quickly, the queen mother is here to accompany you." ”

Yun Ke opened a pair of eyes, and the eye waves flickered slightly, "Queen Mother, I can't sleep." ”

Chang'an smiled emotionally, "Why can't you sleep?" ”

"I want to talk to the queen mother."

The smile on Chang'an's face became more and more warm, "That'...... What does Yun Ke want to say? ”

Yun Ke's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his eyes were full of confusion and confusion, he thought for a long time, and then said, "Queen Mother...... Yun Ke has been thinking recently, Erchen and the fourth brother are both the children of the queen mother, but the fourth brother is smarter, will the father and the queen mother like the fourth brother more? ”

Chang'an smiled, stroked Yun Ke's forehead, and said softly, "Don't think about it, although Yun Jing is smarter in reading, but he is playful after all, the queen mother can't control him, you are Yun Jing's eldest brother, the emperor's eldest son, and the emperor and the palace love you even more." ”

Yun Ke lowered his eyes, but he was still sullen, "But I always heard those aunts who served me say that the fourth brother will be the prince in the future......"

The movements in Chang'an's hand were stunned, and even his tone trembled a little, "Don't listen to their nonsense, the emperor is still young, and it is not appropriate to mention the matter of establishing a prince." ”

Yun Ke saw that Chang'an's tone was not as usual, so he was a little afraid, "Queen Mother, don't be angry, Yun Ke just listened to what they said, that's why he said this......"

"The queen mother is not angry." Chang'an sighed again and again, "There is a lot of gossip in the palace, you must not listen to it, and then let it go to outsiders and let your father know, you must be unhappy." ”

Yun Ke nodded knowingly, and after a while, he suddenly spoke, "In the past, when my mother was here, she always told me that I should study hard, don't make my father angry, and ask me to take good care of my younger brothers and sisters and set a good example for them......"

Hearing Yunke mention Li Shushen, Chang'an's heart was also touched. At that time, Li Shushen was not favored, and only took advantage of the gap between her and Chu Luo to conceive the eldest prince, so she was naturally extra careful in everything. Chang'an couldn't understand that the first queen paid attention to the eldest prince and saw it more important than her own life. Now that she has died, leaving only a son and a daughter in the palace, the emperor is raised by her aunts, but Yun Ke is what she told her to hand over to herself. For this reason, Chang'an must also love Yun Ke more.

Thinking of this, Chang An also sighed deeply, caressed Yun Ke's little face lovingly, and said with a smile, "Does Yun Ke miss your mother?" ”

Yun Ke nodded solemnly, but two tears appeared in the corners of his eyes, "Mother is very good to Yun Ke, but she is also very strict with Yun Ke, whether in private or in front of outsiders, she must let Yun Ke call herself a 'son', and her mother always asks Yun Ke to study hard to please his father......

Speaking of this, Yun Ke's eyelashes suddenly flashed, and he immediately said quietly, "When I came to the queen mother's side, my father once told me that I can't mention my biological mother in front of the queen mother, Yun Ke just said a lot, the queen mother won't be angry, right?" ”

Chang'an was sad and sighed slightly, "Silly child, how can the queen mother be angry." ”

Yun Ke listened to Chang'an's words, and saw that the expression on her face was quite calm, so he smiled reassuringly, "Queen Mother, Erchen is a little sleepy. ”

"Go to sleep." Chang An gently comforted him, tucked all the corners of the quilt for him, and left with peace of mind.

She had just walked out of the dormitory, but she saw Han Yan standing at the moment, and brought a bowl of soothing soup to her, "Master." ”

Chang'an took the soup bowl, took a sip, and said slowly, "The eldest prince will sleep here in the palace tonight, and the palace will sleep in the side hall." ”

Han Yan nodded clearly, and after Chang'an drank the soothing soup, she quietly looked around, and suddenly said in a deep voice, "The master treats the eldest prince so well, is he really not worried at all?" ”

Chang'an frowned slightly, "What is this palace worried about?" ”

"The position of the crown prince." Hanyan lowered his voice a little and said calmly, "Although the emperor doesn't say it, the few times he has come here are all good for our four princes. But after all, the eldest prince is the eldest son of the emperor, and the only son of the former queen, and the bloodline of the queen mother, the position of the prince is undecided, although the eldest prince is now also raised under the master's knees, but after all, the adopted son is no match for having a child......"

"Presumptuous!" Chang'an suddenly became angry, her face was already unkind, she glanced at Yun Ke in the dormitory slightly, and then lowered her voice a little, "Han Yan, you have been with this palace for so many years, how can you say such a thing?!" Yun Ke is the adopted son of this palace, but in the eyes of this palace, he is no different from Yun Jing, don't talk nonsense. ”

Hanyan timidly lowered his head and said earnestly, "Yes, master, it is the slave and the maid who are reckless, and their words are out of proportion." ”

Chang'an didn't look at her, and only said, "Go down." ”

"Yes."

"Wait."

Hanyan was just about to retreat, but was stopped by Chang'an's voice, she turned around and said with a blank face, "Master, what else do you have to order?" ”

Chang An sighed slightly, stepped forward to hold her hand, and said warmly, "Hanyan, you have to remember that what this palace said is all for your good." Now the most important thing in the palace is the matter of establishing a prince, the emperor is only thirty-five years old this year, and he will definitely not think about the establishment of a prince, and the emperor has no plan, so we can't be suspicious at will. Fang Cai's words are that Bengong is serious, and Bengong knows that you are all for Bengong. But if you say something like this, just say it in front of the palace, but don't say it so that others can hear it, otherwise, if you are not careful, it will be a big sin to lose your head. ”

Han Yan's eyes were sour, she held Chang'an's hand, and almost wanted to cry, "Yes, master, slaves and maids understand." ”

Chang'an smiled, she looked at the cold smoke, and her tone was very soft, "You are not young anymore, you can't stay in the palace for a lifetime, Aunt Lan has taken a good look at a family outside the palace, and has already asked Changxuan to come into the palace and tell the palace." That family is indeed good, and the door is also big, after you get married, you will be a lady, and you will no longer have to do this kind of work of serving people. ”

When Han Yan heard this, he couldn't help but blush, and lowered his head shyly and timidly, "The slave and maid are willing to serve the master, even if they stay by the master's side for a lifetime, the slave and the maid are also willing." ”

Chang'an was already happy to see her, and couldn't help but smile on his lips, "This palace can't keep you all the time." From the palace to the palace, you have been with the palace, in the heart of the palace, you are already equal to the sister of the palace, all these years of love, the palace remembers. ”

Han Yan listened to Chang'an's words, and his eyes suddenly turned red, "Master......"

"Let's go to the side hall." Chang An smiled and gently pushed her, "This palace is guarding the eldest prince here." ”

Han Yan wiped the tears that were about to fall from the corners of his eyes with his hand, and nodded solemnly.

Chang'an looked at the figure of the cold smoke gradually fading away, and couldn't help but feel relieved. Hanyan has always been loyal to her, but the next road will become more and more difficult to walk, and Chang'an is always not at ease to keep Hanyan by her side. So at this point, I can only take one step at a time.