I froze.

At this moment, I subconsciously wanted to escape, not to escape from danger, but to escape from the tenderness he gave, even when I was in pain, it still surging and almost drowning me.

However, the heaviness of his words, the heaviness revealed in those simple words, as if the wounds on my body were also imprinted in his heart, and the heaviness made me unable to take a step. The candle flame trembled slightly in the gentle night breeze, shining in my flickering eyes.

I didn't look back and didn't go again.

He also seemed to sense the turmoil in my heart, and did not speak immediately, but just stood behind me.

Outside, it was much cooler than in the previous layers of drapery, but even if the cool breeze with dew blew through at night, he could not ignore the temperature brought by his hot gaze; Even, the traces he just left on me, every place is still raging, exuding his aura, his heat, making me tremble.

I don't know how long he stayed in the night, but he saw the candle teardrops slipping down and accumulating a large patch on the candlestick, and he finally spoke.

"Young Baby."

“……”

"I just—"

He was halfway through his sentence, but he didn't say any more, and my heart throbbed.

He just, how?

It seemed that even he didn't know what to say, and he didn't apologize to me right away, because he knew it himself, and even I could understand it, that it wasn't an insult, but he did almost violate me, and I was still hurt and hurt in that out-of-control.

After hesitating for a long time, he said softly: "I'm sorry to scare you." ”

“……”

"Don't blame me."

I subconsciously reached out and hugged my emaciated body, in the cool breeze of the night, the thin clothes made me look more and more weak, and it seemed that I still had the helplessness and sadness just now.

Pei Yuanxiu slowly walked behind me, feeling his aura coming up, that feeling made me tremble slightly, but he didn't reach out to touch me again, as if he was afraid that he would scare me away, even his breathing after approaching seemed cautious, and his voice was deliberately peaceful: "You believe me, I don't want to hurt you." ”

“…… Well. ”

"Qingying, I said, I've been waiting too long, but just now, it's not that I can't wait."

“……”

"I'm afraid of you, don't want me to wait."

My heart trembled and I turned to look at him in confusion.

In the night, I saw him standing behind me, dressed in white as usual, but for some reason, under such a flickering candle flame looked a little gloomy, and even his peaceful expression was a little gloomy, as if he was also injured and painful, but those eyes were still the same, looking at me with such firm and stubborn feelings.

At that moment, I really felt my heart ache.

I spoke with some difficulty, and my voice was completely hoarse: "Childe......"

"Qingying, it doesn't matter how long you wait, as long as it's you, I'm willing to wait as long as I want."

“……”

"I just don't want to wait for the opportunity."

I looked at him with difficulty, unable to say a word, not even tears, and after a long silence, I finally choked up: "You don't want to do this." ”

“……”

"I'm really not worth it."

I still wanted to say something, but as soon as I raised my head, I met his more determined gaze: "It's worth it or not, I have the final say!" ”

“……”

Before I could say anything, all of them were choked in my throat, and with such a firm gaze, no words seemed to be enough to refute, I just stood in front of him blankly, and after a long time, I shook my head gently: "Childe, don't you do this." ”

“……”

"Actually, there are some things I've always wanted to say to you—"

Before the words fell, I heard a very light and weak voice behind me: "Mother? ”

I hurriedly turned around and saw Li'er standing in the dark bamboo forest in a thin skirt, blinking at us with big eyes.

I hurriedly turned around: "Li'er, why did you come out?" ”

"Mother, I'm alone in there, scared."

I was about to return to her in a hurry, and glanced back at Pei Yuanxiu: "Childe, I-"

Actually, now is not a good time to talk to him, not to mention that Li'er woke up again, I can't let her wait for a long time, so after hesitating for a while, I said softly: "Childe, please go back tonight." We'll talk about it tomorrow. ”

He looked at me and didn't speak, just his eyes flickered and he nodded slightly.

As soon as I bowed my head, I hurriedly walked back to Li'er's side and picked her up. The child seemed to have fully woken up, and he looked at Pei Yuanxiu's figure at the gate of the courtyard with big eyes, and said softly: "Mother, what are you talking to Daddy?" Why did you say it for so long? ”

"It's nothing."

"Oh......"

She muttered, but didn't say anything more, and by the time I looked back, the courtyard gate was empty. I walked back with Li'er in my arms, but on the way back, Li'er kept looking back at the empty doorway.

I had thought that I had something to say to him to-morrow, and that he would come back to me, but the next day the inner courtyard was quiet and silent.

When the maid came to serve me and Li'er for dinner, I mentioned that he and the Han sisters had accompanied the distinguished guests.

I didn't expect that Pei Yuanfeng hadn't left yet.

However, since his identity is Xichuan's envoy, it must not be possible to leave after a banquet, and if the situation is today, where will Jiangnan and Xichuan go, this is definitely not a trivial matter as a person's comings and goings, and every exchange between the two sides may have a crucial impact on the future situation.

And my heart has also added a heaviness.

I can feel the atmosphere at the banquet yesterday, Pei Yuanfeng is not friendly, even if Pei Yuanxiu, although the etiquette is thoughtful, but what he said is some scenes, the atmosphere is peaceful, but it is not harmonious.

Of course, things don't always go as they see.

When I was on the boat, I still remember what Pei Yuanxiu said to me - time can change many things. Although time may not change what I want to say, it may not change the attitude of both Xichuan and Jiangnan.

And if they really have the intention of uniting, then—

Thinking of this, my back suddenly tingled.

There was a loud bang, and I woke up suddenly, only to find that my hand had dropped the spoon into the bowl, and Li'er and the maid who served me were startled and looked at me.

My face was a little red, and I hastily picked it up and drank the rest of the shredded chicken porridge, and then asked, "Where are the sons and distinguished guests now?" ”

The maid looked at me: "Madame, are you going?" ”

I sensed something strange in her gaze and said, "What's wrong?" ”

She stood up straight with some hesitation and said, "Childe ordered to come down, saying that Miss Li was frightened yesterday and should take care of herself." These days, the distinguished guests are here, and it is not appropriate to leave the inner courtyard for the young lady, so I ask the lady to stay in the inner courtyard to accompany the young lady. ”

“……”

I didn't speak for a while, but when Li'er next to me heard it, he smiled and clapped his hands: "Okay, good!" Mother, I don't want to see that bad guy either! ”

I looked down at her happy appearance and smiled, "Okay." ”

As soon as the words fell, I heard the maid breathe a sigh of relief.

I smiled faintly in my heart and didn't speak again.

In the past, even if he was busy, Pei Yuanxiu would find time to sit in the inner courtyard to accompany me and Li'er, and sometimes even asked someone to come in to urge him, but this time, he seemed to have made up his mind not to enter the inner courtyard again, and he would not let me go out to see him.

I can't get angry, even if I laugh, it's a bitter smile.

I just feel pain in my heart.

Although I was a little uneasy, I almost literally didn't leave the inner courtyard for the next few days.

In fact, in the final analysis, no matter what happens to Jiangnan and Xichuan, what does it have to do with me? I just want to live a peaceful life with my daughter now, just like these two days in the inner courtyard, eat simply, sleep peacefully, I teach her to read the classics of the ancients in my spare time, this girl was born to me, although I usually love to jump, but I can still calm down and study, and I have benefited a lot.

It's just that......

On this day, it was drizzling outside, and the inner courtyard was not big, so we had nowhere to go, so we simply stayed in the house and guarded the rules of the disciples.

The child was also obedient, so he really knelt on the chair obediently, picked up the brush and carefully wrote word by word.

The room was very quiet, and the quiet, the slight crunch of the drizzle falling on the bamboo leaves outside, accompanied by every stroke of Li'er, was like a piece of music.

But my mind, when I looked at the silver rain curtain in front of me, drifted away......

I don't know how long it took, I felt Li'er pull my sleeve and whispered, "Mother, mother?" ”

I woke up and bowed my head: "Huh? ”

Before he could react, the voice of the maid sounded beside him: "Mrs. Qingying, the slave maid has disturbed Mrs. Qingying." ”

I came back to my senses, the maids had all entered the house, I was still distracted, I hurriedly turned around, and smiled in disguise: "What's the matter?" ”

"Madam, your guest is going back to Xichuan."

I was stunned: "Huh? ”

"Honorable guest, it's time to get ready to leave the house."

“……”

Pei Yuanfeng and Xue Muhua, are leaving?

I was a little stunned for a while, I haven't gone out to see them again these days, and I really don't know what they talked about with each other, and whether leaving now means that they have negotiated something?

However, Pei Yuanxiu asked the maid to come and tell me, and the implication is that I naturally want to send it off.

Thinking of this, I hurriedly stood up, and Li'er was still lying on the table and looked at me suspiciously: "Mother? What are you going to do? ”

I said softly: "That's the honored guest, they are leaving, and my mother is also going to have a look." Leaving you—you don't want to go, do you? ”

Li'er thought about it and nodded: "Well, Li'er doesn't want to see them." ”

I smiled bitterly in my heart, in the past few days, although I have also tried hard to explain to Li'er, in fact, Pei Yuanfeng is not a bad person, but the nature of the child makes her frightened like that, no matter how to make up for it, it will eventually leave a shadow on her young heart, so that she can never have a good impression of Pei Yuanfeng.

In this way, I can only give up for the time being, in the end, the future is long.

Thinking of this, I didn't say anything, just straightened my clothes briefly, and followed the maid out of the inner courtyard.

I didn't go out for a few days, and the attendants in the palace saw me, and their attitude was still humble, and I asked the long-term entourage who usually followed Yao Lao, only to know that the carriage had been prepared, and Pei Yuanfeng and Xue Muhua had already gone to the gate.

I quickened my pace and walked out.

The maid behind me helped me carry the umbrella, I walked as fast as I could, and she could only barely follow, and occasionally some cool rain fell on my face, I didn't care at all, and after a while, I arrived at the door.

Far away, I have heard the noise of people there, Pei Yuanfeng and the people they brought are actually quite a few people, plus Pei Yuanxiu's entourage and maids who are following here, from a distance, it is also a crowd of people, there is already a team of carriages parked outside the door, and someone is setting horses, just because it is raining, it is obviously not very convenient.

I had just approached, and when the attendants saw me, they all said, "Mrs. Qingying is here." ”

When they heard this, the men standing at the door turned their heads.

Pei Yuanfeng, Xue Muhua, Pei Yuanxiu, and naturally there are also Han sisters.

Speaking of which, I haven't been out of the inner courtyard for the past few days, but they don't seem to think anything strange, but as soon as Pei Yuanfeng saw me, the expression on his face was still frozen, and his pale face was a little blurry in the drizzle.

I walked over slowly and stood in front of him: "Are you leaving?" ”

"......" he seemed to pause, "yes." ”

“……”

I came in a hurry, and even the corners of my skirt were stained with some mud, and the people around me, even myself, felt that there must be many things to say to him at their parting.

However, after saying that, I was speechless.

And Pei Yuanfeng, who was also looking at me with wide eyes, seemed to be waiting for me to speak, but after a while, his gaze also calmed down, as if he understood it, and stopped waiting.

In this way, he and I were silent.

At this moment, on the long street outside, there was a sudden sound of horses' hooves, although there were many people here, but when I appeared, everyone subconsciously fell silent, but quiet, and the sound of horses' hooves was extraordinarily loud, everyone unanimously turned their heads.

When I turned around, I also saw two horsemen running over on the other side of the long street.

As soon as they arrived at the door, they all stopped at the same time, hurriedly turned over and dismounted, one hurriedly walked to Butu who was following Pei Yuanxiu, and the other walked to the people brought by Pei Yuanfeng, all whispered something, and then took out a piece of paper and handed it over.

It dawned on me that it was the messenger.

Thinking about it, Pei Yuanfeng came here as a guest, and if there was any news from his messenger, he would naturally pass it here.

But—

I saw that Butu's face changed suddenly, and I immediately stepped forward and handed over the letterhead in my hand to Pei Yuanxiu, and on the other side, the letterhead was also handed over to Pei Yuanfeng from Xue Muhua.

The two brothers unfolded their letterheads, looked at them only once, and changed their faces at the same time.

Especially Pei Yuanxiu, the blood on his face faded in an instant, and he was as pale as the slightly trembling piece of paper in his hand.

What happened?

It seems that they should see the same news, but what is it that makes them both change their faces?

I felt something faintly, and the next moment, they both looked up at the same time.