Many of the old ministers present also opened their eyes wide, their faces were full of surprise, and some couldn't help but mutter: "Actually, it's General Qin, it's General Qin who has returned." ”

Mu Jingyuan saw the abnormal behavior of these people, but he didn't show anything on his face, but picked up the Queen Mother's slippery wine glass with concern, and gently held the Queen Mother's arm and said, "The Queen Mother is not feeling well?"

The Queen Mother, who was so shocked that she almost shed tears because of Qin Mingyue's appearance, acted as if nothing had happened at the moment, and while gently grabbing Mu Jingyuan's outstretched hand, she smiled very lovingly and said: "It's not that you're not feeling well, it's just that you got married today, and the palace is in a good mood, and after drinking a few more glasses of wine, I'm a little drunk." ”

Then the Queen Mother's smile was even worse, but Ye Ningxiang felt out of a woman's intuition that such a somewhat over-the-top smile was more like a disguise for her emotions, a bit like a forced smile, and she was sure that the Queen Mother and Qin Mingyue must have an unknown past.

"Your Majesty, the mourning family should go back to the palace to rest first, so as to save Yaxing who has both a headache and swept away your young people here. ”

In the end, it is a mother and son who are related by blood, this Mu Jingyuan's next reaction was even worse than that of the Queen Mother, he smiled slightly, took off his coat in public and put it on the Queen Mother's body in person, and even the tone of his voice became deep and gentle, it felt as if it was not his mother in front of him, but like his lover, and there was a strong love between his gestures.

These outsiders who don't know the inside story must think that the emperor is such a great filial son, but in fact, this Mu Jingyuan will not even say half a sentence to the queen mother.

Hypocrisy, it's so hypocritical, Ye Ningxiang scoffed at this, thinking in her heart whether people have lost their hearts when they climb to a high position, or they must wear all kinds of masks to hide their hearts, only in this way can they live. In short, the price paid for this dignified way of living is indeed too great.

After the Queen Mother left, Mu Jingyuan's mood was high, and he seemed to enjoy this feeling of the stars holding the moon. In the past, at this kind of large-scale banquet, everyone's eyes were either on Mu Xize or Mu Jinghong, and he was always the person in the corner who had never been noticed.

Now he can look down on the world, stand out from the crowd, accept the worship of the entire country, and the people he likes can be reused at will, and even if the people he doesn't like kill him, no one will dare to say a word. This sense of pride gushing from the depths of his heart was flowing through his body, and he was intoxicated with it, and he had no intention of stopping it.

This huge banquet was barely over until the time of the child, Mu Jingyuan drank too much wine, and swayed back to Zhaoyang Hall with the support of the eunuch and the queen, those officials and celebrities left the table in an orderly manner under the supervision of the guards, and finally the palace maids who were left were like Ye Ningxiang.

Ye Ningxiang, like other palace maids, carefully cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, cleaned up, and when it was already ugly when it was all cleaned up, it was the second half of the night. Ye Ningxiang dragged her tired body, and wanted to go back to the room without taking off her clothes and fall asleep directly, but she found that there was already a person sitting in her room.

Xiao Qingyu sat on Ye Ningxiang's bed very casually, with one hand on her head, as if she was taking a nap. Ye Ningxiang's whole body suddenly became excited, all the sleepiness dissipated, and she asked Xiao Qingyu for peace.

Although Xiao Qingyu didn't open his eyes, he spoke first: "I didn't expect Ning Xiang to be so busy here. Then, Xiao Qingyu slowly opened his charming apricot eyes, which were as warm and clear as spring water against the faint candlelight, stirring Ye Ningxiang's heart upside down.

I don't know if it's Ye Ningxiang's illusion, she always feels that when she meets Xiao Qingyu these few times, the eyes in which he looks at her don't seem to be quite right, so warm that it makes people frightened and overwhelmed.

"I already know the roster you gave me. Xiao Qingyu removed the eyes that had been looking at Ye Ningxiang before, and said with a slightly serious expression.

Ye Ningxiang breathed a sigh of relief in her heart because of the shift of Xiao Qingyu's gaze, and her originally clenched fists gradually stretched.

Next, Xiao Qingyu got up unhurriedly, stretched out his hands, and gently held Ye Ningxiang's hand. Ye Ningxiang was frightened enough by this move, and hurriedly took a few steps back, trying to break free of the hands held by Xiao Qingyu. Xiao Qingyu's hand was held tighter, making it impossible for Ye Ningxiang to break free at all.

"Why are you always so afraid of me?" As he spoke, Xiao Qingyu's body also leaned towards Ye Ningxiang, and his chin was almost attached to Ye Ningxiang's forehead.

Ye Ningxiang had a bad premonition in her heart: this Xiao Qingyu might really have a crush on her. Thinking of this, Ye Ningxiang's face turned red unconsciously, and she stammered, "No, I'm not afraid." ”

Xiao Qingyu didn't make any further moves, but let go of Ye Ningxiang's hand, and his expression became more serious, "The people on the list are all people who supported Mu Xize seven years ago, originally Mu Xize was ready to rebel and then kill Mu Zongmin and replace him, but in the end, he gave up for some reason, and the people on this list were all people who were willing to follow Mu Xize at that time, and they could be regarded as his henchmen." ”

Listening to Xiao Qingyu's words, Ye Ningxiang suddenly remembered Qi Changyong who went to the small garden of King Ning's Mansion to look for Mu Xize that day, but she didn't expect that this eight-sided master of officialdom turned out to be Mu Xize's person.

Ye Ningxiang was thinking about Qi Changyong in her heart, only to hear Xiao Qingyu mention Qi Changyong next, but her tone revealed a rare ruthlessness, "Ningxiang, I need you to help me and help me get rid of Qi Changyong in the next matter." ”

Ye Ningxiang replied: "Ningxiang will definitely do her best to help Gongzi succeed, please instruct me what to do next?"

Hearing Ye Ningxiang's answer, Xiao Qingyu seemed to be very sad in his heart, but only for a moment, and then replied with a smile: "Now you only need to gain the trust of the emperor and the new queen, and I will inform you about the next matters." ”

After speaking, Xiao Qingyu walked towards the outside of the house, and only after taking a few steps, Ye Ningxiang heard what Xiao Qingyu said to herself: "Ningxiang, don't be so restrained when talking to me in the future, it sounds ...... Very uncomfortable. ”

Ye Ningxiang, who was originally very sleepy, became upset because of Xiao Qingyu's arrival, and then lost sleep. She originally only thought that Xiao Qingyu was her master, but in recent days, Xiao Qingyu's various behaviors have hinted at her, Xiao Qingyu doesn't seem to treat her as a slave, and it seems that there are other feelings, as if she likes her.

Back then, she liked Mu Xize like this, she would unconsciously pay attention to every word he said, every action he made, every demeanor, as if she wanted to see through his whole person, and it was best to look directly into the other party's heart.

If Ye Ningxiang is too careful, it's okay, if Xiao Qingyu really has feelings for her, how should she choose? She was hurt too deeply by love, and she had already made a vow not to love again in this life, so it must have hurt Xiao Qingyu's heart.

After thinking about Xiao Qingyu, Ye Ningxiang thought of Qi Changyong again, and didn't know what method Xiao Qingyu would use to deal with him. When she saw Qi Changyong in the small garden of King Ning's Mansion that day, Ye Ningxiang felt that his words and deeds were like a good official for the country and the people, and she was soft-hearted and guilty in her heart because she was ready to poison him.

In the second half of the night, except for the palace guards, there should not have been anyone else, but Ye Ningxiang saw two people at the corner of a very hidden palace wall outside Guanju Palace. Because the night was too dark, Ye Ningxiang didn't recognize these two people immediately, so she cautiously tried to lean forward as much as possible.

At this time, the person dressed in women's clothes and wearing a red cloak turned around, this woman turned out to be the Empress Dowager Helan Yan'er, who was supposed to go back to the palace to rest, and the man next to her, who was dressed in purple was the same as Qin Mingyue was wearing at the dinner. Could it be that this man is really Qin Mingyue?

Ye Ningxiang boldly leaned towards them again, and the man also leaned slightly, revealing his face, and it was really Qin Mingyue, the master of the Bright Moon Pavilion.

Now Ye Ningxiang's position was close enough to hear the conversation between the two of them, but she was extremely nervous, covering her nose and mouth tightly, for fear that the exhaled breath would be discovered by them.

"Do you know what it's like to live with someone you don't love for 20 years? The Queen Mother's words were full of resentment and vicissitudes, as if she took the initiative to remove her mask and show her scarred face in front of the world.

"Over the years, I have been very unhappy, and I often wonder if I had agreed to leave with you back then, would we have lived like a fairy couple a long time ago?" the Queen Mother's tone was much softer, and her words seemed to be mixed with nostalgia for those unforgettable pasts, and the tears in her eyes had already flowed uncontrollably.

Qin Mingyue's face was solemn, and she seemed to have mixed feelings in her heart, and said in a very low voice: "Yan'er, the past is in the past, we are destined to miss it in this life, you still forget me!"

The Queen Mother smiled a little sadly, then closed her eyes and said in a very calm tone: "Once some things are in my heart, I will never forget them." ”

Qin Mingyue sighed, her eyes were slightly red, but she didn't say much, she respectfully saluted the Queen Mother, and then said, "It's windy in the middle of the night, please rest the Queen Mother early." After speaking, Qin Mingyue did not obey the will of the Queen Mother, and walked directly towards the outside of the palace.

Only took two steps, the Queen Mother held one of his hands tightly, the two were back to back, did not speak, did not look at each other, as if a thousand words were passed through the clenched palm, after a long time, the Queen Mother let go of her hand, her hands brushed her face to cover her tears, and quickly ran back to Guanju Palace.

Ye Ningxiang listened to the whispers, and was shocked that Qin Mingyue still had a relationship with the Queen Mother, and to this day, the two of them seem to have not forgotten their love, so they were deeply sympathetic to them who were obviously in love with each other but were forced to separate for twenty years, and they were a little careless for a while, and they didn't notice that there was an extra person behind them.