Chang Qing also often comes to see me, and every time she comes, she will say a word-

Your Majesty, it's not easy.

I didn't ask, and I don't know how difficult it was for him, but he came every day, with such a tired look and red eyes, even though I didn't care about anything, I didn't want to ask anything, I could feel the pressure he was under.

What's more, even if I don't care and don't ask, Chang Qing will still inadvertently mention those things in the conversation.

The uprooting of Shen Gongyi's henchmen, the axe of the government, the state funeral of the Queen Mother, etc., although these things are bothered, they are nothing to him, what really makes Pei Yuanhao sit on his laurels is the popular uprising in the south.

And when I returned to the capital and got more news, I found that the situation was much more severe than I imagined.

Now, it's not just about civil revolt.

According to Chang Qing, the rebels' forces have completely manipulated the six provinces south of the Yangtze River, including several prefectures and counties south of the Yangtze River into their territory of influence, and built a huge naval defense camp on the river, using the Yangtze River moat to prevent the northern army from moving south; However, although Yangzhou and several other big cities north of the Yangtze River did not explicitly betray the imperial court and surrender and rebel, their attitudes were ambiguous and unclear, and they had clearly become the outpost of the rebellious forces.

Such plans and arrangements are not indispensable.

Even, it can be said that it is seamless.

They first colluded with Shen Gongyi, used their connections in the capital to help Shen Gongyun reach the peak of power, instigated him to rebel, and through Shen Gongyi's hands, Pei Yuanhao aggravated his paralysis in the south, and then took advantage of his rebellion in the Juma River Valley and the imperial court could not take care of both, launched a civil unrest in the south, and seized six provinces in one fell swoop.

These six provinces south of the Yangtze River were originally the richest places in the Celestial Empire, and they used the cities on the south bank of the Yangtze River as their strongholds, which were rich in products and could provide the most important military supplies for the war; And Yangzhou and other places on the south bank of the Yangtze River, these places have convenient transportation, extend in all directions, and according to the Yangtze River moat, enter the army of the imperial court, take Anhui, Lu and other places, retreat back to the south bank of the Yangtze River, and defend themselves.

Moreover, although Pei Yuanhao implemented a series of new policies in Jiangnan a few years ago, he abolished these new policies one by one when he implemented expedient measures to deal with Shen Gongyi, although it was only temporary, but those people did not think so, and the heavy taxes made them believe that the current Zi would continue to rule their untouchables by adhering to the previous imperial court's tilt towards the south.

From this point of view, the time and place are favorable, and all the rebellious forces in the south have not taken into account and grasped them in their hands, resulting in today's situation.

Because of this, although it has been several months since he returned to Beijing, the imperial court still has no way to deal with the deterioration of the situation in the south.

Looking back, I watched Pei Yuanhao all the way from a prince who was not reused to the dragon chair, and every time something changed, even if it was dangerous, it never made it difficult for him.

But this time, it was the exception.

It also seemed to be the first time I had seen something out of his control.

And the person who was hidden in the wolf smoke in the six provinces south of the Yangtze River, hidden in the mist rising from the Yangtze River, made people feel more and more chilled and frightened.

In this world, there are not many people who can win Pei Yuanhao.

Those bloodshot eyes were still looking at me, the thick tiredness was almost the same as the fatigue in my heart, his hand was still holding my slender wrist, not relaxed, and not forced: "Qingying, you accompany me." ”

“……”

I froze and didn't move, he didn't move, but the hand holding my wrist still didn't relax, the two of them faced each other silently, he raised his head and looked at me: "Just for a moment." ”

"......" I looked him in the eye calmly, and finally sat down slowly.

Outside the window, there was still a cloud of fire, the scorching air was unbearable, and the other end was an ice tray exuding coolness, I sat silently in front of him, the two sides of a cold and a hot attack like the torment of ice and fire, although I was sitting, but it was more difficult than ever.

Suddenly there was a flower in front of me.

I opened my eyes wide in surprise, and I saw him reach out and rub my eyebrows with his thick thumb: "Don't frown. ”

"I'm here to see you happy."

Happy?

I looked at him in a bit of a trance, looking at me reflected in those bloodshot eyes.

Indifferent, calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

How long has it been since you came up from the bottom? I've forgotten what it's like to be happy, and I don't laugh from my heart.

Thinking of this, I lowered my eyelids lightly, but his cheeks were gently held up by his hand, he still looked at me, with a little tenderness in his tired eyes: "You talk to me again." ”

“…… What does the emperor want to say? ”

“……”

This time, even he himself was stunned.

He and I, there is really nothing to say, the two of us sitting opposite each other like this is not enjoyment, and the atmosphere of not saying a word is a kind of torment at all; But if he wanted to speak, he couldn't say anything, and I didn't have anything to say, and such a stiff atmosphere continued, and it was even more of an ordeal, until he finally couldn't stand it and left.

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside the door again.

Guan'er's voice sounded at the door: "Your Majesty, the slave maid is ordered by the queen to send some desserts to the emperor and Lord Yue." ”

"Come in."

Kou'er walked in cautiously, looking at the posture of me and Pei Yuanhao, she didn't even change her expression, she just walked to the table, asked Shui Xiu to put the things in the tray on the table, and with a slight blessing, the two of them withdrew.

Pei Yuanhao led me to get up and take a look, it was a plate of cinnamon glutinous rice cake, a plate of creamy pineapple jelly, and two bowls of fragrant drink.

I frowned slightly.

If the emperor is in a concubine's room, and someone else sends something to eat and drink, all he can think of is that someone wants to compete for favor, but Chang Qing - I know she is not, she sent things over like this, but she didn't want the atmosphere between me and Pei Yuanhao to be too stiff.

As a queen, she really has good intentions, but-

I looked at the man with a faint smile slowly on his face, did he really understand that woman?

"That's good," he said, curling the corners of his lips, "I'm just going to eat something sweet, so you can use it too." ”

“…… Be. ”

I also sat down with him, the two of them held the bowl, eating little by little, the faint sweetness of the fragrant drink lingered on the tip of the tongue, so that the whole heart was uplifted, and the heat in the body seemed to be discharged, he drank spoonful by spoonful, and suddenly remembered something: "I, I miss the orange cheese you made." ”

I was slightly stunned and looked up at him.

Tangerine cheese ......

Yes, it was also in my memory a long time ago, I used to make such sweet and delicious desserts to beat the heat. However, making such a thing in the hottest weather is a kind of torment in itself, and watching the small pot slowly steaming on the stove in the small kitchen, the sweet aroma of oranges permeates the surroundings, and the heat is also fumigated so that people sweat, as if they have fallen into the water, but at that time, I don't feel uncomfortable thinking that I can eat such a bowl of dessert after a while.

It's just that the pot of orange cheese I made ended up ......

I slowly put the empty bowl back on the table: "It's too hot to do that, Weichen is weak now, I'm afraid I won't be able to stand it." ”

“……”

"However, if the emperor really wants to use it, Weichen can still do it-"

With that, I looked up at him, and my bloodshot eyes darkened.

There was still half a bowl of fragrant drink, but he seemed to have no appetite to eat anymore, so he slowly put the bowl back on the table, and looked at me again, I only lowered my head and carefully wiped the little soup from the table with my fingertips.

A silence that was even more unbearable than just before spread through the room.

After a long time, he stood up and walked out without saying a word.

I slowly breathed a sigh of relief, and before I could open my mouth to call someone, Mama Wu and Shui Xiu had already walked in. Although the person has left, the depressing atmosphere he left in the house is still there, and both of them walked over cautiously, looking at my indifferent face, Shui Xiu didn't speak, and glanced at Mama Wu.

"Your Excellency."

As if she wanted to say something, I said, "Clean up this place." ”

The two of them looked at each other, watched me get up as if nothing had happened, turned around and walked to the window, continued to look at the dark sky outside, and could only silently clean up the things on the table.

The next day, Xing'er came over to spread the word that Chang Qing wanted to see me.

This time, she didn't come to visit me, but wanted to see me, and I also somewhat understood, so I got dressed and went to Chang Qing alone. As soon as I walked to the door, I heard a familiar tender voice coming from inside, it was Nian Shen, who was talking loudly.

My heart was overjoyed.

In the harem, the only thing that can make me happy is to see this child's innocent smiling face.

When I entered the door, I heard Nian Shen ask cautiously: "Queen Mother, are these two poems made by Erchen good?" ”

Chang Qing said softly in a smiling voice: "What do you think of Nian Shen?" ”

"Erchen...... Erchen, Erchen himself likes it. ”

"That's good, Nian Shen has to believe in himself and believe that he can do a good job, and that's it."

After experiencing the accident in the Juma River Valley, Nian Shen, the child, was naturally frightened, and after returning to the palace, he woke up crying every night with nightmares for a long time, which really worried everyone for a while; I don't know if it's my delusion, after that, Chang Qing's attitude towards him was more affectionate, and I don't know if it was because of the accident in the river valley that made her see something, or because of motherhood, now looking at them, they are really like a pair of mothers and sons.

I stood at the door, looking at this scene, I only felt warm in my heart, and I was a little reluctant to go in and interrupt, but at this time Nianshen lowered his head with some resentment: "It's a pity that the teacher is not there, and I don't know if the teacher will say that I did a good job." ”

"Oh? The teacher is not in Jixian Palace? ”

"The teacher hasn't been here for the past two days."

Chang Qing raised her eyebrows when she heard this, but she was not surprised. Fu Badai is now in the Taibao, and he is so used by the emperor, when there is such a big mess in the south, he is naturally asked to give advice, and it is not a big deal to teach two classes less.

Chang Qing said: "The teacher has been called by your father these days, and there are some very important things to explain to him. So who is teaching the lessons of Jixian Hall now? ”

"Senior brother."

Nian Shen's tender voice sounded, and as soon as I heard those two words, my heart jumped violently.

Light cold!

And Chang Qing's delicate eyebrows also frowned slightly, and as soon as Nian Shen saw her expression, he immediately said, "Queen Mother, what's wrong?" ”

"No, nothing." Chang Qing thought for a while and said, "Is the senior brother teaching well?" ”

"Well, my brother's lectures are not as good as those of my master, but my brother can't beat people."

Looking at his smiling face, Chang Qing didn't seem to be able to help it, and shook his head with a smile.

Nian Shen said again: "It's just that when my brother is lecturing, I often wander away, and when we hand in our homework today, my brother keeps looking out the window in a daze and ignores us." ”

Chang Qing's eyebrows furrowed.

And my heart was pounding, almost jumping out of my chest.

Just hearing his news, just hearing a few words about him, I already had a kind of uncontrollable throbbing, as if the blood that had been frozen into ice these days had melted and boiled at this moment, and the whole person trembled slightly because of that kind of piping hot.

Chang Qing said: "Then, did Senior Brother say anything?" ”

"No, I'm worried about my brother, ask him, and he said it's okay."

"Oh?"

"But—"

"But what?"

"However, Nian Shen heard that Senior Brother had been talking to himself today and reciting two lines of poetry."

"What poem?"

I also subconsciously took a step inside, and I saw Nian Shen bowing his head, recalling seriously for a while, and slowly reciting: "There is a fate to gather for a long time, and it is the separation of evil." ”