In the 18th year of Xining, on October 27th, it was Princess Xiao Ling’s seventeenth birthday on Friday. Emperor Zhou Yuan hosted a banquet for hundreds of officials, held a grand palace banquet, opened a granary, distributed grain, and gave porridge to the poor, especially to accumulate blessings for the fifth princess.
.
As soon as this move came out, Emperor Zhou Yuan's preference for the five princesses became known to everyone. The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and even foreign courts all had their own secrets and other plans for this.
The palace banquet was very lively, and it was already night after the banquet ended.
Xiao Ling left the banquet and walked out of the palace. Watching everyone leave, the joy in her eyes faded and sadness resurfaced.
"Princess, today is your birthday, why do you look so lonely? But why is Mo'er not prepared properly today?" Mo'er, the personal maid, stepped forward and asked with concern.
Xiao Ling held on to the vermilion railing, looked in the direction where everyone was leaving, and said with disappointment: "In previous years, they would try their best to spend my birthday with me, but this year, none of them want to come."
Wasn't it because she said some harsh words in anger that day? Mu Jiufeng was really stingy and refused to give in. He even didn't want to come to her birthday.
And Si Li, even though she had a conflict with Li You, she didn't even forget her birthday, right?
Li You too, was so jealous that Si Li had no time to take care of her.
On today's occasion, even children from aristocratic families with whom she had little friendship came, but none of her friends who had grown up with her since childhood came.
Thinking like this, Xiao Ling only felt more and more aggrieved. She felt like she was the extra person in this friendship. Otherwise, how could no one care about her?
Her eyes gradually became moist, and her vision became blurry. When she noticed someone approaching beside her, she turned around and saw that what was handed to her was a handkerchief folded in a square shape.
She looked up at the hand holding the handkerchief. Even though her eyes were filled with tears and her vision was blurry, she was sure that the person coming was Yun An.
"Why are you here?" Xiao Ling's voice trembled slightly. She had been holding back tears just now, but now the tears started to well up in her eyes as soon as she opened her mouth.
Yun An pursed his lips slightly, his face as indifferent as ever, but his deep eyes secretly revealed unnoticeable care and distress in the hazy night.
Yun An lowered his head. He was clearly a person in an important position in the palace. However, in front of Xiao Ling, he always kept his attitude very low. Just like at this moment, he didn't dare to look at him or raise his head to look at each other. It was almost as if he was low.
Got into the soil.
He said nothing, only silently handed the handkerchief forward.
Xiao Ling was used to his silence, so she didn't embarrass him. She lowered her eyes and looked at the handkerchief in his hand. She felt it looked familiar. She reached out and took it and looked at it carefully. Then she remembered that it was the night Chu Jin was assassinated. She casually handed it to him to wipe.
Bloodstained handkerchief on sword blade.
It had been so long that if the handkerchief had the word "spirit" embroidered with a specific stitch, she might not be able to remember it.
"Thank you." She said lightly and gently wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
Seeing that her mood was still low, Yun An hesitated for a while, and after confirming that there was no one else around, he whispered: "Princess, don't be sad, your friends will come."
"How do you know?" Although Yun An has never teased her, the palace banquet is over and the palace gate is closed. Who can break through the palace guards?
Yun An looked serious, "My subordinates were passing by just now and accidentally saw Princess Le'an and her party."
"Where are they? I'll go find them right away." Xiao Ling's face was visibly happy when he heard that Ye Sili and the others were really here.
"They are..." Yun An hesitated and said, "Now you just need to go back to Qianling Palace and wait."
Because Princess Le'an and her party are sneaking into the palace...
Ye Sili bent down at 90 degrees, placed her hands tightly on both sides of her face, and sneaked in along the high wall of the palace gate.
Behind her were four equally sneaky people.
There were four people hiding on the street corner in the distance, always paying attention to the progress of Ye Sili and his party.
"The palace is heavily guarded. Can the princess and the others get in?" Du Chun raised his head and paid attention to Ye Sili.
"With Young Master and Young Master Jiu Feng here, it should be fine, right?" Bai Yi tried to convince himself.
Huan Xia observed the guards on duty at the palace gate and wondered: "So why did the princess and the others sneak in?"
According to His Majesty's love for the princess and their status as Young Master Jiu Feng, why should it be so troublesome to enter the palace?
Yuan Mu stood behind Huan Xia, his eyes unconsciously falling on her profile, "Maybe the princess and the others just want to bring the fifth princess out."
It was naturally okay for Ye Sili and others to go in, but Emperor Zhou Yuan had told him that Xiao Ling was not allowed to leave the palace late at night except under special circumstances.
They can only sneak in and sneak out again.
The palace is heavily guarded and it is almost impossible to find a blind spot for guards.
In addition to the fixed guards at the entrance of the palace, there were at least two or three guards patrolling. Ye Sili was hiding in the corner, unable to find a chance to sneak in.
"Si Li, the guard is too tight. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to get in." Liang Caicai hid behind Ye Sili and warned in a low voice.
Ye Sili stared at the patrolling guards intently, trying to find the right moment to sneak in. "Don't be afraid. If you get caught, they will let us go anyway."
Ye Sili's tone was relaxed, not like a madman trying to break into the palace, a typical confident person.
"Who is that? The back looks so familiar." Ye Sili opened his eyes wide and tried to see the person clearly.
The generals outside seemed to be taking over duties with the visitors.
Shift handover?
Ye Sili was about to seize the opportunity and rush in, but someone suddenly glanced at their hiding place, and Gu Liyou pulled back Ye Sili who had stepped out with one foot.
"That's it?" Ye Sili was so frightened that she couldn't calm down for a long time.
I saw Liang Caicai next to me with a happy face and said, "It's Brother Yi."
Liang Yi?
Ye Sili quickly and carefully poked out half of his head to take a closer look at the man.
Sure enough, it was Liang Yi.
The general who led the team just now has left in a hurry, and now Liang Yi leads the team to guard the palace gate.
"It's over, it's over." Ye Sili turned to look at Gu Liyou and Mu Jiufeng.
Liang Yi is famous for being cold-blooded, ruthless and selfless. Now it is a coincidence that we meet him here. We really are enemies on a narrow road.
No, Ye Sili reacted and asked doubtfully: "Isn't Liang Yi the Minister of the Ministry of Justice now? How can he still hold the responsibility of the Royal Forest Army? Is it possible that he holds multiple positions?"
Gu Liyou explained: "The leader of the Royal Forest Army who just left in a hurry has been friends with Liang Yi for many years. Liang Yi appears here just to help his friend."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, the rumors in the market are wrong. They also say that he distinguishes between public and private affairs and is upright. Now he is helping others." Ye Sili shook his head.
"Liang Yi is very skilled in martial arts. If we want to sneak in under his nose, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult." Ye Sili just felt that it was a big headache. It would be a bad idea to meet anyone, but it happened to be Liang Yi.
Mu Jiufeng glanced at Liang Yi in the distance, and suddenly thought of something. He looked at Liang Caicai with a smile and said, "It's not all hopeless. Isn't there a cousin of Minister Liang?"
"Me? I can't do it." Liang Caicai was confused.
"What's wrong with this? Aren't you a family? Go talk to him and ask him to turn a blind eye and let us in." Mu Jiufeng came up with an idea.
Liang Caicai looked at Liang Yi, who had a straight back in the distance, and said disappointedly: "I can't convince Brother Yi."
He had never listened to her.
This is embarrassing.
Mu Jiufeng was thinking of other ways when he heard Ye Sili say: "Hurry, hurry, he has walked over."
Liang Caicai turned around and saw Liang Yi walking in the opposite direction with all the patrolling guards.
Without any time to think, Gu Liyou took the lead and quickly slipped in, followed closely by Ye Sili and the others.
In late spring and Huanxia, the four of them widened their eyes in disbelief and watched helplessly as they slipped into the palace.
"What kind of operation is this?" Bai Yi looked at Liang Yi, who was leading the patrol back in surprise, "You haven't noticed this yet?"
Munchun closed his chin manually and asked suspiciously: "Is he really Liang Yi, the Minister of Punishment? Is he a fake?"
His princess and his entourage actually slipped away under his nose.
This... Fortunately, Liang Yi is not the leader of the Royal Forest Army responsible for guarding the safety of the palace, otherwise the palace would be in danger based on his ability to perceive.
Late spring exclaimed.
After entering the palace, Ye Sili and Liang Caicai entered Qianling Palace with ease.
Ye Sili went to Xiao Ling's bedroom very familiarly and saw Xiao Ling sitting by the window.
Knowing that they were coming, Xiao Ling had already pushed away the others. Now, except for Yun An, who was guarding outside the dormitory, only Xiao Ling and Mo'er were left in the entire dormitory.
Ye Sili took Liang Caicai and walked in generously. Xiao Ling by the window saw the two of them at a glance and ran out of the house in excitement.
"Si Li, Caicai." Xiao Ling ran out and hugged the two of them, scolding: "So you still remember me?"
The three of them could not reminisce about old times too much. Ye Sili said: "Come on, let's go out of the palace to celebrate your birthday."
Leaving the palace?
Xiao Ling was naturally very happy, but after looking at the time, he worriedly said: "It's already past the curfew, so the three of us alone won't be able to get out of the palace, right?"
"Who said there are only three of us? Ayou and Jiufeng are both waiting outside Qianling Palace."
"Jiu Feng is here too?" Xiao Ling stepped forward and asked in surprise.
Then he pretended to be calm and said: "Since you came here specifically to pick me up, I will give you this face."
After saying that, she ran out excitedly.
Yun An consciously followed the three of them out of the palace.
The four of them, Munchun and Huanxia, leaned against the wall and waited a little bored, and the next moment they all opened their eyes wide.
Liang Yi was seen patrolling elsewhere again, and at this moment Ye Sili and Gu Liyou quickly slipped out.
The four of them, Late Spring and Huanxia, looked at each other. This night was really unusual.
Xiao Ling slipped out of the palace and jumped up and down excitedly, saying excitedly: "This is really exciting, but we are so lucky. We didn't meet anyone from the palace all the way out."
Ye Sili and Liang Caicai were also extremely nervous. At this moment, they finally slipped out smoothly and were very excited.
Gu Liyou and Mu Jiufeng looked at each other, then looked at the laughing Ye Sili, and both of them smiled fondly.
