Volume 1: Spring in the Painting Hall Chapter 57: Moonlight in the Lotus Pond
When the moon was over the willow trees, Uncle Zhong hurriedly entered the Chaolan Garden, saying that His Highness had been standing by the lotus pond in the backyard for a long time, and asked the Princess to come and have a look.
Qingxi sighed softly, got up and went to the backyard.
From a distance, she saw Xiao Yizheng standing by the pond with his hands folded, seeming to be lost in thought while looking at a pond of dead lotuses. She asked Uncle Zhong in a low voice, "Has he had his dinner?"
Uncle Zhong sighed and shook his head: "After confining Tingmeng to his room in the afternoon and letting the princess return to Chaolan Garden, His Highness came here. I also know that Your Highness is both sad and sad. Alas..."
Qingxi took the cloak from his hand and whispered: "You all go down first."
Xiao Yizheng was frowning and thinking about how to handle the matter properly, when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. "I'm fine, don't bother me." He said calmly, with a dissatisfied tone.
As soon as he finished speaking, a cloak fell on his shoulders. He looked down and saw a pair of slender white hands flexibly tying the knots on the cloak for him. The movements were very gentle and beautiful. Qingxi's eyebrows were already in front of him, He could even see her slightly trembling eyelashes.
He couldn't help but hold her busy hand, wanting to hold the warmth that entered his heart at this moment.
Qingxi paused and instinctively wanted to withdraw. Somehow, under the gaze of so many pairs of eyes in the palace, she could still let him hold her hand calmly. Now, when there were only two of them, she felt a little flustered.
Xiao Yizheng felt a slight struggle in the palm of his hand. When he realized it, he gently let go of his hand and whispered: "I'm sorry."
I don’t know if it was because of the unfriendly tone just now, or my own reckless and inappropriate behavior.
Qingxi lowered his hand and shook his head.
"I'm fine. It's just a pity that she failed before I could fully appreciate the lotus flowers you took care of." Xiao Yizheng pointed at the pond full of dead lotuses.
Qingxi said softly: "I know things are very difficult, but no matter how difficult it is, there will always be a result."
Xiao Yizheng was silent for a while, then looked into the distance again and whispered: "I blame myself."
Qingxi stood beside him, listening silently.
"Ting Meng has been by my side for many years, but I never discovered that she had such thoughts earlier. When I returned home this year, although I felt that she had some thoughts, she didn't think about the personal relationship between men and women. If I could have taken a step earlier, I wouldn't have in this way."
A gust of wind passed by, and the moonlight in the lotus pond rippled.
Qingxi said slowly: "If there is no such thing, there will be other things. Even if you are targeted, you will always use force. What makes you sad is that you can't keep Ting Meng."
There was another moment of silence, and the moonlight in the pond became increasingly hazy.
Xiao Yizheng's voice also had a sense of hazyness: "The reason why I helped her out so much back then was because those little waiters kept laughing at her for not having a father or a mother. At that time, my mother had just passed away, so she I feel the same way and cannot listen to these words. Over the years, the people who have followed me the longest in this house are Zhao Xin, Uncle Zhong, and her. Even though I protected her back then, I wanted her to have this protection throughout her life, but instead I don’t want it to end like this today.”
Qingxi turned her head and stared at him. The moonlight hit the side of his face, reflecting unbearable sadness.
"I promised you that you will not be wronged in vain. If you come up with something out of anger, I will not stop you." Xiao Yizheng also turned his head slightly and looked at her.
Qingxi smiled slightly, her hair blown by the wind passing over her face, making her smile look even more gentle and clear.
"I'm actually not angry. Ting Meng has no grudge against me. In fact, she..." She paused: "It's not that she hates me, she just loses her judgment because of the emotions in her heart. In fact, she is also a chess piece." At this point,
She suppressed a smile and asked quite seriously: "What does the Concubine Nian want to do? I have been to the palace several times, and I always feel that this matter is not something that she, a concubine in the palace, can plan.
.”
Xiao Yizheng frowned lightly, this was what he was thinking. The Concubine Nian had been in the palace for ten years, and she always had a cold temperament. She was not close to anyone and was trapped in her palace all day long. How could she do this this time?
Did you do this? Why did you have to go against Prince Heng's Mansion again? Was there anyone else who helped? But this thing was not done in a smart way, and it was immediately revealed upon investigation.
"I heard that Concubine Nian looks like Empress Xiaoyi?" Qingxi's clear eyes flashed with anticipation.
She had too much curiosity about Xiao Yizheng's biological mother. She used to be inconvenient to mention it, but now she feels that she is much closer to him, so she has let go of many worries.
Xiao Yizheng nodded slightly, "There are indeed some similarities, but the temperament is very different from that of mother." As he said, his eyes focused more deeply on Qingxi's face: "My mother's temperament is similar to Aheng's. If she still
Yes, I also like you very much."
Qingxi felt his face suddenly heat up and lowered his head slightly.
"Although no one in the palace dares to say it, Concubine Nian was able to enter the palace that day because she looked like my mother."
Qingxi sighed in his heart. All the glory in this life was due to another person. Is this a blessing or a misfortune for Concubine Nian? The empress was also wronged. The emperor posthumously granted the title to the empress while she was still alive.
A queen. This matter must be a thorn in anyone's heart. She was sighing when she heard Xiao Yizheng ask: "Have you also misunderstood my relationship with Li Han?"
She suddenly raised her head, showing a slightly embarrassed look, but nodded anyway.
Xiao Yizheng's solemn face finally showed a smile: "Why don't you ask me directly? Li Han didn't even mention it?"
"Although Miss Li is outspoken, we have never mentioned the matter of men and women." She said, turning her head and looking at Wangchung Pavilion behind her: "I wanted to have a chat with His Highness the day I found out Miss Li's identity.
I want to discuss with His Highness whether we can endure it for a year, and wait until I leave the house before letting people in. But that day..." She paused.
Xiao Yizheng's smile gradually dissipated as she paused. He realized that the reason she invited him to Wangchun Pavilion that day was for this matter, and that she did not go because she received a letter from Zeng Qidao.
"It's just that after that day, I thought that His Highness and I had an agreement. I shouldn't interfere in His Highness's affairs, so I gave it up."
What she said was frank, but when it fell into Xiao Yizheng's ears, she heard something different. She didn't care at first, whether it was Li Han or Wang Han, otherwise she would have done everything she could with such a misunderstanding.
Everything was done perfectly. She really abided by their one-year agreement, and even fulfilled the one-year agreement that she had been looking forward to!
Anger rose in his heart, but he didn't know what he was angry about. He took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his tone was a little colder: "I said today that there will only be one princess in this palace.
"
Qingxi leaned closer to him and could feel the slight change in his attitude. He seemed unhappy again, but it wasn't because he was angry or worried because of Ting Meng.
She was wondering when she heard him repeat these words.
To be honest, she was moved and relieved when she heard him say this in Zhengze Garden today. After all, this man is very responsible, not sentimental and considerate, which is quite good. No matter who the princess of this palace is in the future, she can win
Saying this, life won't be too bad.
And now, he said this again. After she mentioned her plan to him at that time, she felt even more grateful. This made her feel at ease. So, she smiled even deeper and replied: "Thank you, Your Highness.
"I'm considerate. I know that His Highness will not let other girls enter the palace in the remaining eight months. As for the future, no matter who becomes the princess, His Highness will definitely take care of her..." When she said this, she felt strange in her heart. She couldn't explain it.
I felt sour and uncomfortable. But before I could fully explore what was going on in my mind, I saw that Xiao Yizheng's face seemed to have completely collapsed and he was just staring at me.
She had never seen Xiao Yizheng's eyes like this, as if he wanted to see through her inside and out, making people just want to hide. She quickly recalled what she just said. Is there anything wrong with it?
"You calculated accurately, but you calculated it to a certain day and time?" Xiao Yizheng asked coldly.
She shook her head instinctively. After shaking her head, she thought about what he asked?
"Then tell me, where are you going after you leave the house?"
"Huh?" She was still thinking about it, but Xiao Yizheng's eyes were almost staring her into a hole, so she had to say hurriedly: "Walking around, traveling around the world. The northwest, the northwest is good, go there first!"
She was talking nonsense, but her expression turned even uglier. The moonlight was soft, but it was frightening on his face. He was even angrier than when he was interrogating Ting Meng. Qingxi subconsciously took two steps back.
, it was just such an inch, and I happened to step on a piece of shaking gravel. My feet slipped, and I fell back unprepared. There was a lotus pond behind me. It was so miserable!
She closed her eyes and was about to feel wet all over her body when a familiar force appeared in her waist. Just like it had taken her away from the embarrassment during the Qing Poetry Recital, it had also taken her away from the danger tonight.
She only felt a spin, her head felt a little dizzy, and then she stood firm.
Xiao Yizheng's hands were tightly around her waist, holding her whole body in his arms. The cloak she put on him personally also covered her at the moment. The two of them seemed to be surrounded by a place that only belonged to them.
in space.
Qingxi put her hand on Xiao Yizheng's chest, and her ears were filled with the sound of his breathing and heartbeat, which seemed firm and powerful but also seemed hesitant. Her own heartbeat was also disturbed and rhythmless. She didn't dare to look into his eyes and just lowered her head.
She said in a voice: "Thank you, Your Highness, I am always so careless." And she felt that Xiao Yizheng's hand on her waist became stronger, and she brought him into his arms. She tensed up even more.
Dare to move more.
"Is the northwest so good? Do you want to go that bad?" She heard Xiao Yizheng whisper in her ear, making her tremble.
"Huh?" Why do you ask this? She murmured without giving a specific answer.
"Is there someone in the northwest you miss?"
Before he could understand the previous question, the next question came again. Qingxi also felt that he was quite clever on weekdays, but why was his mind so confused at the moment. He couldn't figure out what he wanted to ask and what kind of answer he wanted to get. Just now he was so smart
With a horrifying look on his face, if he gave an unsatisfactory answer at this moment, would he throw himself into the lotus pond?
She was agitated all over, cursing herself for thinking all this nonsense.
Just as she was about to think carefully about answering his question, her waist relaxed and she was already out of his arms.
She hurriedly raised her eyes to look at him, but saw that he had turned his back and only said softly: "Fengda, go back."
