Qianwandi was reading in the Imperial Study when he suddenly saw Zhang Kuo standing at the door and gently winking at the screen wall.
When he looked over there, he saw the corner of a white satin robe flash past behind the floral screen. Qianwandi suddenly dropped the brush in his hand.
Zhang Kuo said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, young master Mingde requests an audience."
Qianwandi was very surprised.
Mingde had always avoided meeting people if he could. Even if it was an official meeting that he couldn't avoid, he had to pretend to be respectful, modest, and sanctimonious. After going through layers of announcements, he would slowly walk in.
Even if he was still the Emperor after coming in, the Emperor would still be in charge, but at least he couldn't omit the act.
For this child, it was too ambiguous to hide outside and talk in circles like this.
Qianwandi adjusted his cuffs, thought for a moment, and lowered his head to check. Then he coughed and said: "Come in."
Mingde seemed to hesitate outside for a moment, then lowered his head and slowly walked in.
He wore a long white satin robe without a belt. Only a golden pin casually fastened the robe, a long green tassel hanging down, gently brushing back and forth in the wind.
Qianwandi watched him slowly and carefully walk over step by step. It was as if his heart was also being scratched by the tassel, and a little itchy pain rose in his heart.
Mingde walked to the desk, lowered his head, and didn't speak.
Qianwandi tentatively reached out his hand, his fingertips brushing against his cheek, and asked in a low voice: "Why did you come out?
Don't you feel cold? "
Mingde reflexively dodged, but he didn't feel disgusted. Qianwandi paused, then reached out and pulled him over.
"Why did you come out all right?
Who made you angry again? "
The youth's thin and soft body was tightly held in his arms, just enough to encircle one arm. He was completely snuggled in the crook of his arm.
His nose was full of the scent that he had been thinking about day and night, with a faint medicinal scent, slightly teasing the man's nerves.
Qianwandi saw that he didn't speak, so he took a deep breath and asked with a smile: "If you don't tell me, how can I help you vent your anger?"
He saw Mingde's expression suddenly change, as if he was holding back something very sad and scared, so he immediately shut up, pretending not to say anything, and flipped through the book. As he flipped through the book, he felt strange. What was wrong with this child today? Normally, he wasn't afraid of anything when he killed imperial consorts and the dragon seed, so why did he look so wronged today?
Who was it that made him angry?
Zhang came forward and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, should I order the meal?"
Qianwandi looked at Mingde and nodded his head: "Send it."
Emperor Qianwandi was not a luxurious person. He was used to eating coarse grain in the army, so he did not have any requirements for food.
His usual dishes were only eight dishes, one soup, and one main dish. Together with the palace servants who served him at the time, he usually didn't have any leftovers.
If there was anything left over, Qianwandi wouldn't necessarily be happy.
Today, the cook was perceptive. When he heard that a favored consort was accompanying the Emperor in the imperial study, he immediately added thirty-eight dishes of delicate soup, neatly arranged on the table and brought it over.
Zhang Kuo looked and said in a low voice: "Old brother, why did you do so much? Aren't you afraid that your flattery will backfire?"
The cook hurriedly stuffed some loose silver taels into his hand: "I'll leave everything to gonggong."
Zhang Kuo threw the silver taels and turned to enter the imperial study.
Who knew that Qianwandi would only look at the small table and frown: "Why didn't I see any meat?"
Zhang Kuo smiled and said: "The cook heard that the little noble just recovered and can't bear to see meat."
Qianwandi laughed and scolded: "Then zhen won't eat?"
Zhang Kuo turned around and was about to call for more when Qianwandi said: "Forget it. At least he's considerate and knows how to serve people.
You can decide what to reward him with. "
Zhang Kuo smiled and said: "Then this servant will thank Your Majesty on his behalf."
Qianwandi hugged Mingde with one hand and carefully picked out the bones on the bass with the other hand. He lowered his head and coaxed him: "Do you want to eat?"
Mingde shivered and bit down. He frowned and said: "It's too fishy."
His voice was a bit hoarse. Qianwandi wanted to ask what was wrong, but he thought about it. It was because he screamed too loudly that night and tore his throat.
Boys at this age were changing their voices. Their throats should be well protected. Once they tore it, they could speak with a bit of hoarseness for the rest of their lives.
Qianwandi silently picked up some food for him to eat. He didn't even blink as he watched him swallow it and drink half a bowl of congee.
Mingde liked to eat sweet and sour things. His eyes were always staring at the bowl of orange soup in the distance. Qianwandi patted him and said: "That's new. You can't eat it."
If it was in the past, this child would definitely cry and make a fuss. He might even use this as an excuse to make a fuss until the empress or the crown prince came to save him.
But today, he lowered his eyes and didn't say anything. He was pitifully obedient.
Qianwandi couldn't resist and quickly coaxed: "Then just eat a little."
Mingde shook his head and said: "I won't eat."
"Only this little?"
"I ate before I came."
Qianwandi thought to himself, if you ate before you came, why didn't you refuse at all?
Actually, if you said you didn't want it, I wouldn't force you.
He kissed the corner of Mingde's lips and said with a sigh: "It would have been better if you had been so obedient earlier."
Mingde dodged slightly, but didn't make any big movements. He seemed to quickly look at Qianwandi's expression and felt that he wasn't angry. So he carefully smiled at him.
Qianwandi stilled and suddenly grabbed Mingde. He used so much strength that the back of his hand trembled imperceptibly.
Mingde's brows furrowed, but he didn't make a sound. He only looked down at the table and didn't say a word.
King Qian felt his heart itch, but it also hurt a little. That strange feeling followed his pulse and went through his entire body. It made his chest feel like it was jumping.
"Mingde," he said in an unsteady voice, "Actually, you never hated me that much, right?"
Mingde didn't make a sound.
"You just have anger in your heart. You'll be fine after venting, right?"
Mingde turned his head, and then Qianwandi picked him up.
This man was very tall. In the past, when he was in war, he had no problem drawing a huge bow. Mingde was really not much heavier than a kitten to him.
Emperor Qian Wandi carried him and walked a few steps to the gold-sprinkled soft cotton couch in the inner chamber. He pressed him down on the softest bedding and sat him down. The high and mighty Emperor Qian Wandi half-knelt on the edge of the couch. He grabbed Mingde's chin and stared at him, "Be good. Take the medicine well and keep your body well.
— — If you stay with me, you can take whatever you want in this world. You can enjoy the most beautiful scenery and the richest palaces. You can spend the best time and the best years of your life as long as you stay by my side obediently. Is that all right? "
From a concubine's son to the crown prince, to ascending the throne, to ruling the world, to sitting on the throne, to being worshipped by all countries … In Qianwandi Li Ji's life, he had never felt such a mixture of uneasiness, apprehension, fear, and vague joy.
When was the last time he was the happiest?
"Probably two years ago in the middle of the night, when he got the young man in front of him.
It was also like this, mixed with ecstasy and intoxication. He wanted to fall deeply into the most beautiful dream.
Mingde pursed his lips and didn't say anything for a long time.
Li Ji patiently waited for him. He allowed time to pass in the spiraling smoke of the agarwood. He allowed the sun to set. In a trance, he only took a glance and many years had passed.
Mingde moved and lowered his body. With the timidity of a newborn baby, he tentatively kissed Qianwandi's forehead.
It was just a pure contact without any sexual intent, but Qianwandi felt that his whole body was about to burn.
The fire that was forcefully suppressed burned the upright and strong Emperor to ashes. It was as if he could not even think.
Qianwandi pressed Mingde down on the couch. He crazily kissed along the skin of his temples. He didn't even let go of a small piece of tender skin behind his ear.
The beautiful joy in his memory rose from the bottom of his heart, with a taste sweeter than the usual violence.
"Mingde, Mingde," Qianwandi said with a sigh. "Why do you always hurt yourself? Why do you always protect others … Can't the two of us start properly …"
Suddenly, he heard a weak and suppressed sob. It gradually seeped out of the silent room like ice breaking.
"Why are you crying?"
Qianwandi used his hand to wipe away a bit of moisture from the corner of Mingde's eyes. Thinking about it, he felt that his hand was too rough, so he carefully used the silk beside the pillow to gently wipe his face. "Why are you crying?
What's wrong? "
"You … Can you not kill the Crown Prince …"
Qianwandi suddenly froze. Mingde wanted to suppress his sobs, but he couldn't. His voice was almost broken.
"If you want to kill them … I can't stop you … But if I'm obedient … can you not kill them … Don't, don't kill them …"
Qianwandi froze in place and didn't move for a long time.
Was it not because of you that I endured them for so long?
If it wasn't for you, was there any other reason for them to live well until now?
…
Qianwandi slowly picked up Mingde and buried his crying face in his arms.
The child sobbed and choked. Every broken intonation was like a sharp knife, ruthlessly cutting into his heart.
A long time ago, when Qianwandi was still a concubine's son, he had seen his father dote on Wang Guifei, the mother of the Prince of Dongyang.
It was truly a harem full of love. Even if Wang Guifei coughed, countless people would kneel at her feet and carefully serve her, afraid that she would be wronged.
For a long time, he had always had an idea. If he found the person he doted on the most, he would definitely make her his empress. He would definitely pile all the wealth and beauty in the world at her feet, allowing her to pluck and squander as she pleased.
He wanted the person he doted on the most to never be wronged. He wanted that person to stand at the highest point in the world. No one could go against that person's words and actions.
However, right now, the person he loved the most, feeling wronged, submissive, wanted to say something but didn't dare to say it. With her sickly and weak body, she carefully withdrew all of her sharpness, fearfully and forcefully suppressing her fear as she begged the high and mighty Emperor to not hurt her anymore.
That person could no longer suffer any more injuries. Even the slightest bit of pain could take his life.
Qianwandi kissed Mingde's eyes endlessly and kissed away his tears. He coaxed him in a low voice, "It's all right … it's all right … I won't kill the Crown Prince. How could I kill him? I'm just teaching him a lesson …"
Mingde sobbed and asked, "Will you not want me to go to Jiangnan?"
Qianwandi paused and then said in a low voice, "No, you can go wherever you want."
"Really?"
"Really."
Just like two years ago, he had asked, "Will you kill me?"
How had he answered back then?
Oh, he had said, "No."
He asked again, "Really?"
"Really."
Qianwandi Li Ji closed his eyes. His heart spasmed with pain, as if it had been viciously cut by a knife.
He should have said, "I really won't. I will love you, love you, and won't let you be wronged. No one can bully you."
But he didn't say that.
He only said, "I won't kill you. I really won't kill you."
"I won't kill you, but I might torture you alive so that you can't die even if you want to."
The promise that came from the Emperor's mouth to his lover turned out to be so cruel. It was like a thick shadow that enveloped Mingde for two whole years.
It made him live carefully and with incomparable vigilance. He was afraid that at any moment, he would be torn apart and eaten alive, not even a bone would be left.
Mingde slowly fell asleep. Qianwandi carefully put him down and tucked him in. Then, he turned and strode out.
Zhang Kuo was waiting outside. When he saw the Emperor come out, he immediately knelt down.
Qianwandi strode out. As he walked, he said coldly, "Lift the ban on the Eastern Palace. Hold the Crown Prince's wedding as soon as possible."
Zhang Kuo lowered his head and said, "Yes."
"Also, capture everyone in Qing Zhen Hall and interrogate them."
"Ho, Emperor?"
"Zhen wants to know," Qianwandi's face was almost twisted, "— Who was it that spread this nonsense in front of Mingde!"
The Eastern Palace had been sealed overnight, but it was reopened overnight.
The Crown Prince, who had been convicted, suddenly regained his freedom. The Emperor decreed that someone had framed the Eastern Palace and ordered people to investigate.
At the same time, because the Crown Prince was obsessed with things like gods and Buddhas, the Emperor severely reprimanded the Crown Prince and ordered that the palace servants in the Eastern Palace be replaced.
"Niangniang!
Niangniang! "
The palace maid close to her body hurriedly ran into the exquisite glass moon door of the Spring Full Palace and threw herself to the ground, "Niangniang!
Not good!
Not good! "
Ding Zhaorong's hand trembled, and a tooth of the ivory treasure comb she was holding broke with a cracking sound.
The face of the beautiful woman in the bronze mirror darkened. She threw the precious comb to the ground and said, "What are you yelling for?!
I don't know how many years it will take for you to come back and tell me the news! "
The palace maid nodded submissively and said, "Niangniang, the Emperor, he … he doesn't want to depose the Crown Prince!"
Ding Zhaorong was so frightened that she gasped and quickly covered her mouth, "What are you shouting for? If people know, do you still want to live?"
"Niangniang!
This is not good. The Emperor said that he is going to marry the Crown Prince soon!
He is marrying the daughter of the Xia family!
When Niangniang's father, Lord Ding, heard this, he was so angry that he scolded those people who followed him! "
Ding Zhaorong sat in a daze for a while, then gritted her teeth and said, "I thought that after Xia Zhaoyi died, the Xia family would no longer be able to stand out in the harem.
Who knew that they were planning this? The concubine sister made way for the main wife sister. Won't the Crown Prince's concubine become the Empress in the future … Xia Zheng, that old thing, really knows how to plan! "
The palace maid knelt on the ground and walked a few steps, hugging her leg and saying, "Niangniang, the Emperor must have deliberately left the Xia family to oppose our Ding family. Otherwise, why would he give a secret edict to Lord Ding and then take it back?
I heard that he was very angry when he took it back. The people in the imperial study said that the Emperor hasn't summoned any concubines to his bed these days. Niangniang, you … "
Ding Zhaorong clutched her chest and suddenly felt like she was about to collapse.
"Niangniang!"
The palace maid hurriedly supported her, but Ding Zhaorong ignored her. A vague and terrible idea gradually formed in her heart, making her tremble and cold.
… That day in the Empress's Jing 'an Hall, that strange boy who stood up for the Empress, actually had some similarities with the Empress …
Not everyone had the courage to stand up at that time and clearly serve tea to send off the guest and drive the Emperor away …
And Qianwandi's attitude towards that boy was unexpectedly ambiguous, and unexpectedly … crazy!
That kind of crazy possessiveness and desire to plunder, was that the attitude of an Emperor towards a small plaything or an ordinary jester?
That was simply a man declaring his own initiative and possessiveness!
No Emperor would do that to his concubine or small pet!
Ding Zhaorong's fingers trembled as she supported herself on the ivory and gold dressing table. Her face was pale and cold sweat was dripping down.
Yes, it was not that she had never seen such a man. The previous Emperor loved the Empress to death. When he hated her, he wanted to personally kill her and eat her. When he loved her, he wanted to throw all the treasures in the world at the feet of the Empress.
Wasn't it the same that night?
Qianwandi wanted to torture a young boy to death in bed when he was angry, but what happened after that?
Didn't he still hold him in his hands, in his mouth, and carefully hide him in his arms like a treasure?
"Niangniang?" The palace maid shook her in fear, "Niangniang?"
Ding Zhaorong coughed in a panic and forced herself to be calm, "It's nothing.
When the Crown Prince was imprisoned, did the Empress ask the Emperor for mercy? "
The palace maid smiled apologetically, "How could the Empress dare to stroke the whiskers of a tiger? Of course she stayed in Jing 'an Hall every day, chanting scriptures and praying to Buddha."
Ding Zhaorong nodded and remained silent.
When she was still a young girl at home, she had heard her Guifei older sister say that the Empress was just an old palace maid with white hair in the depths of the palace. She was not favored at all.
It was common for the Emperor to not see the Empress for many days in a row.
But … … why was this Empress who was not favored by the Emperor and did not have a maternal family … … still firmly sitting on the throne of the Empress. Even the crime of not having a child could not pull her down from the most honorable position of women in the world?
Did the Emperor really hate the Empress?
The young boy who looked like the Empress, Qianwandi's strange and ambiguous attitude, the incomparable but unknown favor of the Emperor, the Empress who had been in danger but never moved … … all the clearly ambiguous details intertwined in her mind. Ding Zhaorong suddenly grabbed her hair and buried her head deeply.
She did not believe that Qianwandi would give up on the Empress and the Crown Prince because he favored a boy. This was unimaginable for any Emperor in the past.
All the clues pointed to one point. Qianwandi was not the cold Empress that was rumored to be in the palace. In reality, he loved the Empress who did not have a child. Even the young boy who looked like the Empress would receive great favor from the Emperor.
It was just that the love between the Emperor and the Empress was not shown.
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