There is only this path leading to the Imperial Garden. On both sides are bamboo bushes, cannas, Taihu stones, and large clumps of orchids against the wall. Under the moonlight, the stone path among the flowers is deep, leading to the darkness in the distance.
Xiang Xiaoqiang has been to the Imperial Garden several times and knows that walking a few dozen meters further is the small round gate of the Imperial Garden.
But suddenly, a figure flashed out of the bamboo bushes beside the path, blocking the path and standing motionless, staring at Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yucong with no expression.
Both of them were shocked. Zheng Yucong was so frightened that she leaned against Xiang Xiaoqiang, covered her mouth, and almost screamed.
But they immediately saw clearly that this was Zhu Yourong's chief secretary, Wei Zijin.
"Oh, oh..." Zheng Yucong patted her chest and said with a slow smile, "Miss Wei... you scared me to death..."
Wei Zijin lowered his hands and said calmly:
"Miss Zheng, sir, please go to the imperial study and wait. Your Majesty has ordered us to take a walk in the garden for a while, and please don't disturb others."
As she spoke, she looked at Zheng Yucong, then at Xiang Xiaoqiang, and lowered her eyes thoughtfully.
Zheng Yucong realized that she was still close to Xiang Xiaoqiang! She blushed and quickly moved away, keeping a certain distance from Xiang Xiaoqiang, and resumed the posture of a marquis.
Zhu Yourong did not allow others to enter... Xiang Xiaoqiang thought silently in his heart, and suddenly opened his mouth and asked:
"Do I count as someone else?"
Wei Zijin glanced at him and shook his head gently. Xiang Xiaoqiang was overjoyed and was about to thank him for entering when Wei Zijin said:
"Your Majesty didn't say."
Didn’t you say it? If you didn’t say it, then it’s not true!
Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart skipped a beat, an impulse coursed through his body, and he raised his feet and walked over. Wei Zijin opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he didn't say it.
Zheng Yuqing was startled: Is this okay?... He also raised his foot to follow her in, but Wei Zijin stopped her without hesitation:
"Miss Zheng, I'm sorry... Mr. Xiang went in, so you can't go in..."
"you……"
Zheng Yuqing was about to get angry, but she immediately reacted and looked at the well-behaved Miss Wei up and down. She seemed to understand something, nodded lightly and said with a smile:
"That's it...well, I'll go back, haha, please bother..."
Wei Zijin bowed slightly and said:
"Good night, Miss Zheng."
Zheng Yucong walked back slowly under the moonlight, feeling unwilling and a little sour in her heart. She gently skipped along the shape of the stone road, and suddenly heard a "squeaking" sound in the bamboo bushes in front of her, and there was something there.
Hidden in.
Her scalp exploded and she was about to scream when she suddenly saw what looked like a little palace maid in the bamboo bushes. Zheng Yucong suddenly became bolder and ran over and grabbed her out.
"Oh My God……"
A little girl begged for mercy pitifully, and was held by Zheng Yucong under the moonlight. When she saw it, it turned out to be Mrs. Li's little leg: Huang Xiaoju.
Now Zheng Yucong found a place to vent his anger. He pinched and twisted, making Huang Xiaoju squeal, and taught him a lesson:
"What do you want to do? Ah? What do you think you want to do? Follow me in the middle of the night and pretend to be a ghost to scare me? Ah? Do you want to scare me to death? Tell me, what on earth do you want to do...
…”
Huang Xiaojue was like a puppy with its tail between its legs, squeaking and begging for mercy, but she didn't dare to make a loud voice, otherwise Zheng Yucong would strike harder.
In the whole palace, the person Huang Xiaoju fears most is Zheng Yucong. Even more than Mrs. Li and Zhu Yourong. Because Zheng Yucong likes to find trouble and punish her as soon as he sees her, but she is punished by Zheng Yucong, and Huang Xiaoju has no place to complain. Zheng Yucong's father
Zheng Gongyin and Mrs. Li are die-hard comrades and political allies, and Mrs. Li really likes Zheng Yucong, so Huang Xiaojue knows that Zheng Yucong's persecution of him is basically in vain.
Moreover, Zheng Yucong likes to have fun with Huang Xiaojue in front of Mrs. Li, and even pinches and twists her half-heartedly, pretending to be very intimate. In this way, even if Huang Xiaojue goes to complain in front of Mrs. Li, Mrs. Li will probably think that it is him.
Girls are joking and don't take it seriously.
Normally, Huang Xiaojue would be so frightened that she would take a detour when she saw Zheng Yucong, and would not dare to follow him. This was because he was sent by Mrs. Li, and it was also to follow Xiang Xiaoqiang, not Zheng Yucong. But she was unlucky, and she still hit the gun.
On the mouth.
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang was walking carefully in the imperial garden where the moon was dancing. Suddenly, he vaguely heard the sound of some kind of string music, accompanied by a gentle female voice humming.
His heart trembled, the voice sounded like Zhu Yourong's... There should be no one else in the imperial garden at this moment, and it could only be Zhu Yourong's.
He tiptoed, following the sound, and suddenly it opened up in front of him. Under the moonlight was a large pond, and the lotus flowers in the pond were already in bud. The water surface was rippling, and a full moon danced on the water waves, shining brightly.
Stings directly into the eyes.
More than ten meters away, a girl was sitting on a Taihu stone on the shore, with her back to him, holding a guitar in her arms, playing with it and humming randomly.
The night at the beginning of summer in Nanjing was no longer cool. The girl wore a thin white silk shirt, and she could almost see the vest underneath. To keep cool, the sleeves were rolled up to her upper arms, exposing two graceful arms. The fat black silk shirt
The material hangs snugly on the legs, which looks very cool. I put on a pair of clogs and slippers on my bare feet, with one foot hanging down and the other foot stepping on the stone, looking very comfortable.
There was a small copper incense burner placed on the stone next to it. Green smoke kept floating out and was quickly blown away by the breeze. It didn't look like it was being played in an elegant way, but rather like it was smoking mosquitoes.
Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at this scene dreamily... Could this... be Zhu Yourong?... Could this be the Emperor of Heaven, the Empress Zhu Yourong?
This is obviously a female college student who just finished her evening self-study!
Oh my God, it's so weird that I had to let others in like this... Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that it was really too rash for her to barge in. The relationship between Zhu Yourong and herself hadn't reached this point yet, and she wouldn't tolerate being seen like this by herself.
Xiang Xiaoqiang reminded himself sweatily: After all, this is not a female college student who just finished her evening self-study. This is the king of the Ming Dynasty, the supreme commander of millions of troops in the country... It is true that he is chasing her, but he must be careful.
Degree. Now it seems that the "degree" has been exceeded.
Xiang Xiaoqiang was about to sneak back quietly when he suddenly heard Zhu Yourong strumming the guitar strings a few times and singing softly in English.
…
"The song I want to sing has not been sung until today,
I always tune the strings on my instrument every day.
The time has not come yet, the lyrics have not been filled in yet, only the pain of hope is in my heart.
The stamens have not yet opened, only the wind sighs by.
I didn't see his face, nor heard his words. But I only heard his gentle footsteps, walking behind me.
The long day passed in laying out a seat for him, but the lights were not yet lit and I could not invite him in.
I live in the hope of meeting him, but the day of meeting has not yet come."
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang had never heard Zhu Yourong sing before, and he didn't expect that Zhu Yourong could sing so well. Although he couldn't understand a word, he was still deeply fascinated.
After Zhu Yourong finished singing a section, he lowered his head again, gently plucked the guitar strings, and hummed softly.
But Xiang Xiaoqiang has already heard that Zhu Yourong's humming is no longer natural. He is trembling slightly and looks very nervous.
Xiang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but suspect that he had been discovered.
He wanted to go back quietly, but he knew that it was already too late by this time. It was extremely quiet everywhere, and as long as he moved a step, the grass under his feet would make a sound.
Only now did Xiang Xiaoqiang realize how quiet it was here, and how sharp his ears would be if he stayed here for a long time. He now understood how stupid he was to think that he was very hidden when he tiptoed over just now.
In the air, only Zhu Yourong gently plucked the guitar strings, making a clear and intoxicating sound.
Slowly, she followed the sound of the guitar strings and plucked up the courage to sing softly:
…
"The snare is tough, but my heart aches when it comes to tearing it apart.
I want to be free, but I am ashamed of wanting to be free.
I know for sure that priceless treasure is in you, and you are my best friend.
But I can't bear to part with my house full of mundane things.
I am clothed in dust and death. I hate it, but I hold it close lovingly.
My debts are great, my failures are great, my shame is secret and deep.
But when I came to pray, I trembled lest my prayer should be granted."
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang kept guessing and could only understand one-fifth of it. He couldn't understand what it meant at all. He just thought it sounded very nice and the melody was very intoxicating.
However, he seemed to hear something strange.
Zhu Yourong seemed to be crying. When he sang the second half of this section, his nasal voice became heavier, as if he had shed tears.
Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart was pounding and he hesitated, not knowing whether he should rush forward and hug her at this time.
He had such an impulse several times, and his intuition told him that as long as he rushed out and held her in his arms, the love between him and Zhu Yourong would be complete.
If it were an ordinary girl, such as Qiu Qiu, Xiu Xiu, or even Zheng Yucong, he would have rushed out a hundred times.
But this is Zhu Yourong.
Every time Xiang Xiaoqiang was about to take a step, there always seemed to be a hand pulling him back. His heart was beating wildly, sweat was pouring down his face, and he could hardly hold on... Oh my god, this is Her Majesty the Queen.
ah!
…
Zhu Yourong sat by the pond with her back to him for a while, sighed softly, raised her hand to wipe her tears, looked up at the moon, played with the strings, and sang while crying:
"My desires are many, and my cries are pitiful, but you always resolutely reject me.
This strong compassion has been closely intertwined in my life.
Sometimes I linger lazily, sometimes I rush to find my direction;
But you hid cruelly..."
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang hid behind the bushes, listening to the crying singing, biting his thumb. He was restless in his heart. If he could understand what Zhu Yourong was singing at this moment, he would be willing to exchange 1,000,000 Mingyang.
Zhu Yourong by the pond was trembling and singing:
"I'm just waiting for love, to finally give myself into your hands.
They tried to use laws and regulations to restrain me, but I always avoided them.
Because I am only waiting for love, to finally give myself into your hands.
They blame me, and I know they are right...
but……
I am only waiting for love, waiting to finally give myself into your hands."
…
After singing this section, Zhu Yourong stopped singing, but looked up at the sky. The guitar in his hand slowly slipped down and "popped" into the pond, floating on the water, creating circles of ripples in the moonlight.
Zhu Yourong looked at his beloved guitar in the water and cried silently. His shoulders and back were shaking uncontrollably. He looked at the moon again, covering his mouth with one hand and wiping the tears from his face with the other. Although he was silent, he cried painfully.
Open your heart.
Xiang Xiaoqiang was ashamed and fled away. When Zhu Yourong was crying, he ran away quickly and lightly.
Xiang Xiaoqiang also felt sad, but he didn't know what happened to Zhu Yourong to cry so sadly. He hated himself for not studying hard when he was in school, and now he couldn't understand the English lyrics. If he could understand, he could at least follow what Zhu Yourong sang.
Gezi, to analyze what caused Zhu Yourong to cry like this, and to judge what to do, whether to rush out riskily or to retreat quietly.
If Zhu Yourong hadn't cried and was just sitting by the pond in a daze, he might have passed by Xiang Xiaoqiang. But now that Zhu Yourong was crying like this, it was already such a scene. He felt that Zhu Yourong might not want to be seen by him like this, and going out by himself might not have good results.
.
…
After Xiang Xiaoqiang returned to the Imperial Study Room, he looked at the wall clock and it was almost two o'clock. Zheng Yucong was no longer in the Imperial Study Room, and Mrs. Li was no longer here. Probably they were too sleepy and went to bed. There were only four corners in the study room.
The palace maid stood there in a dignified manner, looking intently at the ground beneath her feet.
Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't feel sleepy at all, so he decided to wait for Zhu Yourong here. After all, Zhu Yourong allowed himself to enter the palace tonight just to meet him. There was no "meeting" yet.
The imperial study room was also very quiet, with the only sound of the clock on the wall ticking.
When he yawned for the first time, the voices of two palace ladies came from outside:
"His Majesty."
"His Majesty."
Then came Zhu Yourong’s cold voice:
"Um."
Xiang Xiaoqiang stood up, adjusted his military uniform, put his hat under his arm, and stood at attention looking at the door.
Zhu Yourong walked in wearing casual palace clothes and sat down behind her desk casually. He picked up a few memorials on the table, looked at them, picked up a pen to sign and put them aside, then picked up the next one to read.
At this time, the palace maid came up with a tea tray and placed it on her table. Zhu Yourong shook her hand, without even raising her head, and said lightly:
"It's late at night and I don't want to drink tea. I'd like to ask Mr. Xiang if he can."
The palace maid was a little surprised. She looked at Zhu Yourong and then at Xiang Xiaoqiang. She motioned to Xiaoqiang to put the tea tray on the coffee table next to her.
The palace maid put down the tea cup, smiled at Xiang Xiaoqiang attentively, and then quietly stepped aside, waving her hands twice to signal the palace ladies in the four corners to follow her.
"No need," Zhu Yourong said coldly, without raising his head, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, "You don't need to step down, just serve here."
The maids didn't know what was going on, and looked at each other nervously, wondering why His Majesty and Mr. Xiang had a falling out. They stood cautiously in place, looked at the ground, and replied softly:
"yes."
Xiang Xiaoqiang understood that her peeping just now must have been discovered by her. He was glad that he didn't rush out just now. Otherwise, it might be worse now.
He coughed lightly and said carefully:
"His Majesty."
Zhu Yourong did not raise his head, but replied calmly:
"Sir Xiang, it's really hard for you to invite you here so late. I already know about Baoding. Now if you have any ideas, you can tell me."
When Xiang Xiaoqiang saw Zhu Yourong like this, he felt extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to explain it to her, but then he caught a glimpse of the palace maid standing in the corner. He looked awkward. After holding the words in his heart for a long time, he finally blurted out:
"Your Majesty, we...we don't have to do this."
Zhu Yourong raised her face and looked at him in surprise, as if she was offended. She just glanced at Xiang Xiaoqiang with her eyes, then looked down at the memorial on the table, and said lightly:
"Xiang Qing, please respect yourself."
Xiang Xiaoqiang felt a pain in his heart, like being stabbed by a knife. The Zhu Yourong in front of him was completely unfamiliar. This feeling was definitely not the Zhu Yourong who called him "Tingzhi", or even the Zhu Yourong who called himself "Teacher Xiang" before.
.
This Zhu Yourong seemed familiar, and he had only seen him once.
...By the way, it seems to be the same feeling of aloof queen I had when I first saw her at the Changping Marquis Mansion on that cold night a few months ago.
To me at that time, Zhu Yourong was the empress of the Ming Empire in this time and space. It was impossible for her to get within three feet of her.
To her, he was just an ordinary citizen. He was able to stand in front of the Queen simply because Her Majesty the Queen wanted to see something new on a whim.
Now, that feeling seems to be coming back again.
Zhu Yourong was sitting behind the desk just like that night, while he was sitting on a chair in the hall. The distance seemed to be getting farther and farther.
What's even more irritating is that this feeling was completely created intentionally by Zhu Yourong.
Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't know where he offended her, and he offended her so harshly that she didn't leave any room. But Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that it was impossible to talk things over in this situation tonight.
A girl like Zhu Yourong, who is usually docile and kind-hearted, can be very frightening once she gets into trouble, and even eight big horses can't pull her back.
The best way is to stop pestering her tonight and let her calm down. With Zheng Yucong in the palace, everything will be easy to handle. Let Zheng Yucong and Zhu Yourong have a heart-to-heart talk later and find out the reason before making a fuss. That's better than explaining it stupidly here.
It's much better. Besides, there are several palace maids standing at the four corners, which can't explain anything.
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed and started to get down to business. As a general, he reported to the Queen the details of the Baoding Arsenal Uprising, and introduced to her his idea of using air support to vigorously support this force.
It turned out that Xiang Xiaoqiang thought that Zhu Yourong had fallen out with her, and her plan was not good at all. Unexpectedly, Zhu Yourong was very practical this time, with a business-like attitude, and quite agreed with the support plan. She immediately approved Xiang Xiaoqiang and
The Army Aviation Commander coordinated and arranged the first airdrop to the Baoding Rebel Army within three days. At the same time, Xiang Xiaoqiang was asked to make a detailed plan on how to support and control this armed force. She would arrange for a meeting with the headquarters to discuss it.
"Your Majesty," Xiang Xiaoqiang took the opportunity to say, "I feel that... this armed force, or this rebel army, needs a name. At least when we mention it next, we don't have to use 'this armed force' or 'this force'
That’s what he calls.”
Zhu Yourong nodded, frowned and pondered for a moment:
"Please give me a name, Xiang Qing."
Xiang Xiaoqiang pretended to ponder for a while and then blurted out:
"How about the People's Guard Taihang Mountain Column? Or call it: People's Guard Taihang Mountain Independent Brigade, how about it?"
Zhu Yourong waved his hand:
"Xiang Qing is more professional than me, so let's choose one from among them."
After Xiang Xiaoqiang was heartbroken, he finally received a small consolation: Zhu Yourong approved the naming of this team as the "People's Guard" without even thinking about it. In other words, this team behind the enemy lines of the Qing Dynasty was already officially named
It's your own.
…
At almost four o'clock in the morning, Xiang Xiaoqiang came out of the palace, sat in the back seat of the car, and went home in a daze.
Overall, tonight was terrible. I almost lost Zhu Yourong. What’s depressing is that I still don’t know the reason.
Zhu Yourong is both his career backer and his dream lover... Fortunately, he has Zheng Yucong. Without Zheng Yucong, he might not be able to get back what he lost this time. But with Zheng Yucong, Xiang Xiaoqiang has the confidence to catch him.
It is not that difficult to return to Zhu Yourong.
Suddenly, Xiang Xiaoqiang was awakened by a terrible thought:
Could it be that Zheng Yucong and that girl were playing tricks on him, doing one thing in front of him and another behind his back?
She wouldn't... talk about helping her chase Zhu Yourong, but secretly raise her vaginal legs to make it a stumbling block, right?
Zhu Yourong's behavior tonight was abnormal. If it was because Zheng Yucong said something to her, something very unfavorable to her, then that would make sense!
After all, which girl is willing to help her lover chase other girls?
…No, no, that’s not true…
Xiang Xiaoqiang held his head hard and convinced himself that this would not be the case. However, this assumption still wormed its way into his mind like a poisonous snake, making him shudder.