Although it was decided to hold a birthday banquet for Xiao Yuan'er, no one came to disturb Orchid Garden, and we lived as peacefully as usual. Just when even Yan Qi wondered if that day was just a verbal talk, the person who conveyed it came, and it was also the day of Yuan'er's birthday.

The palace people who conveyed it said that they had been ordered by Ah Ping to come over, and only asked me to prepare in Orchid Garden, and he would come to pick me up and Yuan'er to go to the first birthday banquet in the evening. At sunset and dusk, with a streamer silhouette, Ah Ping walked into the Orchid Garden in a blue robe, and when he saw me, he asked, "Are you ready?" I pulled the corners of my mouth and lowered my eyes and replied, "There's nothing to prepare, you can leave at any time." ”

But when I walked out of the Orchid Garden with Yuan'er in my arms, I couldn't help but be stunned, he actually prepared a carriage to travel? I didn't feel anything when I got into the carriage, and Xiao Yuan'er, who took the carriage for the first time, was pleasantly surprised, and slid down my legs to look left and right, and then walked to the front to pull the curtain, just when the curtain was lifted from the outside, Ah Ping picked him up and sat back on my side.

Xiao Yuan'er struggled several times between his long arms, and finally ended in failure, so he had to lean peacefully between his father's legs. He snorted through his nose again, and muttered, "Bad—bad—"

This is a word he has newly learned, and whoever provokes him will be pointed to whoever is bad.

However, others may buy his account, but the person holding him ignores it and just sits quietly.

A foot away from me.

The carriage started slowly, and in the silence, he suddenly heard the soft question next to him: "Are you okay?" ”

I clenched my fists, lightened the curvature of the corners of my mouth, and whispered, "Very good." But he took a breath, and slowly turned his head to look at me, and I saw in the afterglow that he seemed to be about to say something, but in the end the words did not come out.

Xiao Yuan'er resolved this embarrassment, and pointed to the pane to ask his father to open it to show him the outside, this time Ah Ping obeyed his wish, and let go of his hand after revealing it and let him lie by the window to watch. Then he said to me in a low voice: "Don't worry, I have arranged all the matters for the first birthday banquet, you just need to hold Yuan'er to appear, and I will send someone to send you back to Lanyuan later." ”

I didn't answer him, and after a while the carriage stopped, and I could already hear people outside.

The banquet was very lively, and at a glance it was full of people, and I am afraid that the entire harem of people came, and there were many courtiers. I have the impression that I participated in such an occasion was Zhu Yuanzhang's birthday banquet, but today's protagonist is Xiao Yuan'er in my arms.

Xiao Yuan'er is afraid that she has never seen so many people, her eyes are wide open, and her eyes are full of curiosity. This time, he was not arranged at the palace concubine, but sat at the first table under the chairman, and Ah Ping also sat next to him.

Zhu Yuanzhang was the last to arrive, and after everyone visited, some palace people announced the start of the banquet. But I still couldn't drink, the courtiers took turns to give congratulatory gifts, I should have gotten up and thanked them one by one, but was stopped by Ah Ping, so I just had to hold Yuan'er and stay in the seat.

Every time someone came forward to congratulate him, Ah Ping would return with a glass of water and wine. Although the alcohol content of the water wine was not strong, he also saw that his face was flushed when he was in the stomach one by one. I didn't say anything, but some people were distressed.

When I came, I saw two gorgeously dressed women sitting at the side table, one of whom was Qin Liangyu who came to Lanyuan that day. At this time, he had already walked to Ah Ping's side and persuaded him to drink with a distressed face, while another woman whose name I didn't know brought tea for Ah Ping to drink, but between Ah Ping's frowns, both of them retreated to their seats, obviously these two have become his side concubines.

Suddenly, a figure flashed in front of him, and he heard a delicate voice saying, "Your Highness, don't be greedy for cups." ”

I couldn't help but look away, and saw a woman in plain clothes standing on Ah Ping's right side, and when I looked at it, I recognized it as Ah Lan, who had the same name as me, and she had changed her outfit. The previous cloth has been replaced by a skirt made of gauze fabric, and the light blue lining makes her particularly elegant. Ah Ping's attitude towards her was different from that of the two concubines in fancy clothes just now, and he turned his head and whispered something, but Ah Lan did not retreat, but stood with him to thank the guests.

I lowered my eyes and smiled, it was a real show.

Later, not only was I tired, but even Xiao Yuan'er, who had been excited, was tired and fell asleep in my arms. Looking at each other, I said expressionlessly: "Yuan'er is asleep, I'll take him back to Lanyuan first." His eyes settled and nodded: "Okay, I'll send you back." ”

But as soon as the words fell, I saw Concubine Lu coming over, looked at the little man in my arms with concern, and then said: "This place is far away from Lanyuan, let's go back to the palace to rest first, how can you leave without permission, how can you leave without permission, just send someone below to send it." ”

However, Aping said: "Concubine Xie is worried, the emperor's grandfather is old and can't go to the banquet for too long, and the Praetorian Guards should mainly protect the emperor." This place can be taken care of by the mother for the time being, and I will come back when I go. Although he didn't say it explicitly, he also meandered to decline Concubine Lu's proposal, so my heart was settled.

Concubine Lu seemed to be helpless about this son, so she had to accept it unwillingly.

It was still the carriage when I came, and I sat in it to isolate the noise from the outside, and I changed the position of Xiao Yuan'er in my arms so that he could sleep comfortably on his lap. Ah Ping sat on the side and watched us silently, his eyes seemed to be confused, but he should not be drunk with his drinking.

I was silent all the way until the Lanyuan carriage stopped, I picked up Xiao Yuan'er and wanted to get out of the car, but as soon as I got up, I was dragged from behind, and when I turned my eyes, I saw his right hand dragging the placket behind me, and raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "What?" ”

He was stunned for a moment before he reacted, shook his head and said, "No." But my fingers still didn't let go, so I had to pause and turn around, and after a moment of silence, I asked, "Isn't it hard?" His face finally showed a hint of vulnerability: "A little. ”

I don't know whether to persuade or comfort, neither of the two methods is suitable at such a time, and I turned my eyes away and fell on Yuan'er's face for a long time and still didn't say a word. A reminder from the guards came from outside the carriage: "Your Highness, it's time to go back to the banquet hall." ”

After a pause, I also said, "I'm still waiting for you at the banquet, it's time to go back." ”

He hummed softly, but didn't let go of his fingers, and that would make me ...... I feel sad, the line of involvement between the two people is already very thin and thin, and it may be broken at some moment at any time. I twitched the hem of my clothes, stepped out of the carriage, and then walked into the Orchid Garden, and heard the carriage clattering away behind me.

The night was as quiet as usual, and I quickly noticed Xiao Yuan'er's every move of kicking and turning over, because I couldn't sleep peacefully tonight. Today, I realized a truth, it turns out that knowing and seeing are two different things, knowing that you can still restrain your emotions, but you can't control your excitement when you see it. At the end of the day, I realized that I was not a generous person after all.

Since the slightest movement in silence can be transmitted to my ears, I immediately heard the sound of footsteps in the courtyard, thinking that it was Yan Qi or someone who got up at night, so I didn't think much about it. But after a while, I heard the footsteps enter the outhouse and go outside the door, and I can't help frowning, who is looking for me? As soon as I turned around, I heard the door being pushed open from the outside, and I was stunned, and I forgot to close the door when I entered the room tonight.

I saw a dark shadow swaying towards this place, and I did not scream, for there was only one person who dared to enter the room like this, and I recognized who it was at the sight of that figure.

Watching him approach the bed, a smell of wine suddenly came over, his eyebrows frowned even tighter, and he must have drunk a lot of wine when he went back, so he ran to the wrong place at night? I had a little oil lamp when I entered the house, but then it burned out and went out automatically, so even if I was so close, I couldn't see his face clearly, and I didn't know what he was going to do when he stood in front of him.

After a few moments, he slowly turned around as if to leave, but as soon as he took a step, he stumbled backwards and fell literally to the side of the bed. Instinctively wanted to reach out to help him, but half-raised his hand and put it back in place.

What if you help it? After dawn, everything still returns to reality.

I simply closed my eyes out of sight, but I heard a low voice slowly sound: "Lan, I can't hold on." ”

His heart was shocked, and the hand hanging by his side couldn't help but clench into a fist.

He said: "I can restrain myself when I can't see you, but I can't restrain myself when I see you, I want to hug you, and I want to erase the sorrow between your brows." I overestimated my self-control, and I underestimated how much I missed you, and many times I wanted to tell my grandfather to pass on the throne to someone else, so that I could go to live with you in the days of idle clouds and wild cranes. This kind of banquet is not suitable for you, and I don't like it, I feel uncomfortable when I see you sitting in it and endure the side eyes of others, and I want to send you back to read it myself, but I don't dare to see it when you see it, and I am afraid that I will be reluctant to let go if I hold it. ”

If I had listened to these words in the past, I would have burst into tears, but tonight I closed my eyes and felt calm, and there was a cry of pain that was numb to the point of numbness, and I didn't feel any pain. I should be glad that I am strong enough to live like this.

"Lan, I know you can't forgive me anymore, but I can't help it."

Hearing this, I whispered, but it was: "Ah Ping, you go back." He was leaning on my lap, but when he heard my voice, he immediately turned around and looked closer, and saw that his eyes were deep in the dark, and he pressed his face to me and whispered my name: "Lan, did I wake you up?" Don't rush me away, I'll stay here for a while and see you...... No, it's to see Yuan'er. ”

I thought about it and sat up, got out of the way and hugged Yuan'er over, "If you don't rush back tonight, you might as well take Yuan'er and go to the East House to sleep." ”

I don't want to compromise with others, but he is Yuan'er's father, and he should be allowed to stay with his children, as long as he doesn't take them out of Orchid Garden.