When we drove back to Prince Jin's Mansion, we were quite surprised to see a visitor.
Liu'er had been waiting at the door early in the morning. As soon as he saw the carriage coming back, he went directly to report that King Huai was visiting.
Hong Yan seemed very happy, but Feng Hongluan was indeed in a heavy mood.
Hongyan still regards the Emperor and Prince Huai as brothers despite what the Emperor and Prince Huai have done to him so far, and Feng Hongluan does not dare to let him know those terrible facts.
He followed Hong Yan to the front hall, where Xia Rongling was helping to entertain King Huai.
Xia Ronling was gentle and virtuous, and when Feng Hongluan and Hongyan went in, they didn't know what they were saying to King Huai, who was smiling softly with his lips pursed.
When Hong Yan saw Xia Rongling, his face darkened, and he said unceremoniously when he entered: "Go down, I am the king and the princess here."
As he spoke, it was clear that he only treated Xia Rongling as a maid in the house.
In front of Xia Rongling, clarifying Feng Hongluan's identity as "Princess" really didn't save Xia Rongling any face.
Feng Hongluan looked at the hurt in Xia Rongling's eyes and knew that even if she was trying to persuade Hong Yan now, she was obviously being pretentious and coquettish.
Outsiders looked at her and thought she was getting an advantage but still behaved and humiliated Xia Rongling.
She remained silent. In fact, she had nothing to persuade. If there was Xia Rongling in this family, without her, how could she still be so stupid and simple and give up her happiness in another life.
I just hope that everyone is safe and sound. Normally, Xia Rongling doesn't come out from the east backyard. Feng Hongluan doesn't have much interaction with her, and she doesn't have much interaction with Hong Yan. Everyone is still in peace. Today, Xia Rongling doesn't actually have anything to do with her.
It was time to go out to entertain King Huai, because this was undoubtedly a self-humiliation. She should know that Hong Yan hated her to the core, and if she bumped into Hong Yan, Hong Yan would definitely not look good on her.
Feng Hongluan said nothing. Regarding the relationship between Hong Yan and Xia Rongling, she didn't want to provoke or add jealousy. Naturally, she wouldn't try to mediate it. She was not a fool.
Xia Rongling looked a little sad and embarrassed, but her smile was still gentle: "Then I'll go down first."
As soon as Xia Rongling left, Prince Huai's eyes fell on Hong Yan and said in a lukewarm tone: "Come with me to the study, I have something to tell you, Miss Feng, I'm sorry, but I want to borrow Hong Yan.
"
Feng Hongluan nodded hurriedly and smiled: "Hongluan, stop disturbing me and go back to your room first."
After saying that, she took Liuxiang and went to the room. Halfway through, suddenly a petite figure emerged from the bamboo forest on the roadside. Feng Hongluan's footsteps faltered and she saw clearly that the person in front of her was Xia Ronling.
"Feng Hongluan, can I have a few words with you?"
Her attitude was sincere. Feng Hongluan thought for a while and nodded: "Okay, let's sit in the Fengyue Pavilion in front for a while!"
Fengyue Pavilion is one of the many pavilions in the Jin Dynasty. The pavilion is twice decorated with a pair of couplets: the grass color enters the curtain and the quiet scene; the wise man enters the room in an elegant style.
I heard that this couplet was written by Hong Yan himself. The handwriting is vigorous and powerful, rich and natural.
In the pavilion, the stone tables and benches were all carved from fine white marble. Feng Hongluan and Xia Rongling sat down together. Xia Rongling stretched out her hand to send Hu Die out, and asked Liu Xiang to prepare cakes and tea for the two of them.
polite.
As soon as the two girls left, they were left alone in the pavilion. After not seeing each other for a few days, Xia Rongling's face was a little sallow, her cheekbones were slightly protruding, and her face looked sick.
The clothes on her body are a light gray long skirt, covered with a bright yellow waistcoat. The cuffs and placket are embroidered with vigorous plum blossom branches. The plum blossom branches are dotted with more than seventy-eight wintersweet plum blossoms, which are bright red.
This gray robe adds a bit of liveliness.
With such a plain dress and such a haggard appearance, if the relationship between the two were not awkward, Feng Hongluan would definitely care about someone he had never met.
But now, she really couldn't express her concern. Feng Hongluan always felt a little unhappy whenever she thought of Xia Rongling planning Hongyan to marry her.
Xia Rongling seemed to want to say something to her. She spoke several times but stopped.
"Does the princess have anything to say to Hongluan?"
"Don't call me princess, call me Xia Rongling. When it comes to princess, you are the real princess. The prince only has you in his heart. I knew it a long time ago. It's only me who is to blame..." She paused, feeling a bit self-deprecating,
"...I thought that as long as I could marry into the prince's palace, the prince would always fall in love with me, even just a little bit."
Feng Hongluan said nothing.
She continued with a bitter smile: "Now, I am not even as good as a living widow. My Qingfeng Pavilion is deserted and desolate. I am only accompanied by the wind. I really answer the name of the breeze. It is like a tomb of the living dead. What is life?
It would be better to die, which roughly means that my life is now."
I don’t know why she is complaining to herself. She chose this path by herself. No one forced her. Instead, she forced Hong Yan and Feng Hongluan to accept that in their marriage, there was this one.
the fact that a third party exists.
Her eyes became a little indifferent, and she looked at Feng Hongluan, with a hint of jealousy in her eyes: "I know that the prince likes you. If I had known that it would be like this, I would not have asked the emperor to help you and the prince.
Let you enter the house and become a concubine."
If it is said that Xia Rongling has always been so peaceful and self-disciplined, Feng Hongluan still finds it strange that a dignified young lady from the Xia family can really swallow her anger. Come to think of it, she is still full of resentment in her heart, but she has never shown it.
Today she was definitely not complaining or complaining to Feng Hongluan.
Feng Hongluan looked at her and replied: "Are you trying to tell me that the emperor will grant you a marriage only because you asked the emperor?"
Xia Rongling smiled bitterly: "Yes, I thought that as long as I graciously satisfy the prince and you, the prince will always see the good in me."
"Haha, maybe your purpose is more than that!" A sneer appeared at the corner of Feng Hongluan's mouth.
Xia Rongling was startled, but quickly regained her composure: "Yes, if I can't help you and the prince, I can't help myself either. I understand this. My purpose is to kill two birds with one stone, and use you to confuse the prince.
I thought I was you, went to the church to get married, and asked the king
You know my magnanimity, and I have actually accepted you as the royal concubine. But now it seems that all my efforts and efforts are in vain. In my heart, your status is as solid as a rock. I
Killing two birds with one stone is nothing but self-inflicted humiliation."