Chapter 5 Chapter 5 You have a good relationship with her

On the table stood a cup of steaming Rain-Previous Longjing tea, his favorite tea of ​​the day, but now he was in no mood to savor it.

Everything was quiet, with occasional rustling sounds passing by the window, and the hourglass on the museum shelf was slowly falling down.

It’s three quarters past midnight.

The dim yellow candlelight illuminated the man's handsome face, his brows slightly furrowed. He stopped looking at the map and, unusually, removed the jade pendant he always wore around his waist and examined it carefully.

The jade is still the same piece of jade, but he is no longer the young man he was before.

Li Cheng's expression gradually softened as he gazed at the patterns on the jade pendant, seemingly lost in a memory. The ragged little girl, with a permanent smile on her face, seemed to possess a certain magical power that captivated everyone.

The little girl was clearly sold to the Changsun Mansion to be a maid serving tea and water, but the nanny in the courtyard loved her very much and even adopted her as her goddaughter, so she was not abused at all.

Yes, she is well-behaved and smart, with a sweet mouth. The maids in the courtyard have no children, so it is a rare opportunity for them to meet this little girl with red lips and white teeth, and they have to pamper her.

The little girl had two small buns on her hair and a bright peach blossom in bloom on her head. She walked in a hopping manner and loved to climb trees and tiles. She was as slippery as a loach and the maids couldn't catch her.

She climbed up the tree trunk to the attic and saw the little boy locked inside was not at all stage fright. He blinked his bright black eyes and jumped down from the windowsill with a smile, walked over to him and sat down casually. His chubby hands were still stained with mud and dirt, and his lips were slightly pouted: "Brother, you are so handsome!" His voice was as sweet as honey.

The boy was abandoned by his parents and trapped in the thief's house. He was already desperate and resentful. When he saw the little girl smiling happily, his anger suddenly had an outlet. He pushed her fiercely and said, "Go away!"

The little girl didn't notice and her smooth white forehead hit the floor, which soon swelled up a little red. She pouted a little aggrieved, but still didn't give up the opportunity to talk to this handsome man. She pinched the corner of her clothes and said carefully:

"Brother, aren't you happy?" He ignored her and just closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Is it okay to eat candy when you're unhappy? Mammy just bought me some malt sugar. The adults say it's okay to eat candy when you're unhappy. Sugar can cure all diseases!"

Seeing the serious look on the young lady's face, the boy sneered but did not respond. However, his eyes were not as cold as before.

…

Li Cheng collected his thoughts from his memories, looked at the exquisite jade pendant that shone faintly under the lamp, and sighed imperceptibly.

When I saw those familiar eyes under the influence of love poison that day, I couldn't help myself for a moment. Now I think about it carefully.

No, they are not the same at all.

The eyes deep in his memory were always curved and radiant, like vibrant peonies in the sun, blooming with thousands of stars, which could not help but attract him to come closer.

The woman's eyes that day were timid and she dared not look at anyone. Her eyes were filled with tears as if silently telling of her grievances.

How could they be the same? He leaned back on the desk, his hand on his forehead, rubbing his temples with a headache.

Since the incident that day, he had the woman brought back to his house, and the two had not seen each other since then. He was busy with the affairs of the former dynasty's rebels every day, rarely returning to the East Palace, and even less setting foot in the backyard, trying to forget the existence of a woman there.

He didn't know whether he was trying to numb her or himself. He felt ashamed of her, ashamed of himself, and even more ashamed of the young lady deep in his memory.

Doing that to her when he saw those familiar eyes and eyebrows was undoubtedly a blasphemy to the innocent young lady whose heart and eyes were filled with him.

Under the endless pressure of guilt, he had no choice but to numb himself with official duties. But Li Fu just told him that she was sick? And the cause of the illness was the depression in her heart.

Li Cheng's heart was filled with ripples, and he was in a state of panic. He had thought she was doing the lowest job in Fengle Tower, being beaten and scolded at every turn. Bringing her to the Eastern Palace and giving her the position of Fengyi, although Fengyi was a low position, would allow her to escape the life of a slave and become a master. Isn't that great?

But today, he had a vague feeling that he was wrong. The reason she was so depressed was that she simply didn't like life here. His self-proclaimed kindness had become a shackle in her eyes. If that was the case, why did he keep her around? Wouldn't it be better to let her go free?

Li Cheng was so confused that he even saw double on the map in front of him.

-

Liang Hanzhang opened her eyes the moment the servant lowered the bed curtains. It was true she had a nightmare and a cold, but the cold-induced convulsions were more difficult to discern.

She has been sitting in the backyard waiting for death for so many days. If a qualified spy wants to steal information, the first prerequisite is to gain the trust of the prince. But now she can't even get close to the prince, how can she trust him?

This can't go on, she told herself.

What has broken the balance now is her illness that happened just in time. Not to mention the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice, given Autumnal Equinox's cautious and experienced nature, she will definitely report the matter to His Highness.

Qiufen is a servant on the surface, but in reality she is just the eyes that His Highness has placed beside her to observe her every move.

Regardless of His Highness's reaction after hearing this, whether he would come to the backyard or not, it actually didn't matter anymore. It would be better if he came, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't.

What is important is that she must break this balance, break her existence as a transparent and suspicious person in the eyes of His Highness.

She must quickly gain His Highness's trust and obtain intelligence for the Liang Dynasty, because her brother's illness can no longer withstand the torment. Liang Hanzhang felt a sharp pain in her heart when she thought of the pale face in her dream, and she couldn't wait to return to her brother.

But she can't.

Liang Hanzhang was full of worries, but under the effect of the drug he eventually fell into a deep sleep.

However, what she didn't expect was that her plan, which she thought was a sure win, actually made His Highness want to send her out of the palace.

The days continued to slip by like a stagnant pool of water. Li Cheng left early and returned late each day, while Liang Hanzhang recuperated in the backyard, leaving them with no chance to see each other. By the time they finished their calculations, more than half a month had passed.

How could this be possible? Liang Hanzhang was terrified. If this continued, not only would His Highness not be able to obtain intelligence, he would not even remember her. When the Eastern Palace brought in more concubines, and there were a lot of Liangyuan Zhaoxun, where would she be able to stand?

Liang Hanzhang was extremely anxious and was struggling with whether he should take the initiative to meet the prince to improve their relationship. Coincidentally, Li Fu came in with a smile on his face.

The old steward remained unchanged, his demeanor as that of a kind and benevolent elder. He waved his whisk, bowed to Liang Hanzhang, and said, "Greetings to the Empress Fengyi."

Liang Hanzhang was afraid of the cold and was holding a small hand warmer in his arms. Seeing the person coming, he hurriedly handed the hand warmer to Dongzhi who was standing beside him and pretended to step forward to support him, "Manager Li, please don't be polite."

Li Fu straightened his hat with a smile, his eyes narrowed into slits, and he kept saying congratulations: "Good news, Madam!"

Liang Hanzhang was confused and asked, "Excuse me, sir, what are you so happy about?"

"The Empress heard that a new Empress Fengyi had arrived at the Eastern Palace, and she couldn't wait to summon you to the palace to chat. However, you caught a cold a few days ago and were not feeling well, so the Empress gave up the idea."

"Who would have thought that she would mention this matter again today, and Your Highness cannot refuse. I am here on Your Highness's orders to inform Her Majesty that I will follow Your Highness to the palace to express my gratitude tomorrow."

"Enter the palace!" Liang Hanzhang felt a chill run down his spine, his head spinning. The Crown Prince was already entering the palace before he'd even finished his job? What if he showed his weakness in front of the Empress?

Li Fu also knew that this matter was a challenge for Fengyi, who was born as a maid, and comforted her: "Don't panic, Your Majesty. The Queen is the most kind-hearted person. She is just happy that Your Highness finally has someone in the backyard, and wants to meet you to chat about family matters."

Liang Hanzhang forced a smile. Even so, she was the founding empress, after all. Queen Wang was also a general on horseback, personally leading the army in battles during the Liang Dynasty's turmoil, a woman as brave as any man. Such remarkable women carried a clear mind, their judgments of others were sharp.

I don’t know if I will be exposed in the face of the queen’s majesty.

Li Fu paused, and his shrill voice seemed to be deliberately lowered, "However, the relationship between His Highness and the Emperor and Empress... is a bit subtle, Your Majesty should avoid this topic."

She frowned in confusion about the relationship, but seeing Li Fu hesitating and being unclear, she knew that this was not something that could be said openly. His subtle suggestion was already a special consideration.

"Thank you, eunuch," Liang Hanzhang understood, and ordered Qiufen to pack some of the peach blossom pastries she had just made and send them to the steward. Li Fu had a pleasant face, and it would have been bad if the prince had heard about it. Besides, she was poor and had no money. She had no choice but to put in the effort to make these inexpensive yet beautiful treats.

As expected, as soon as she finished speaking, Li Fu's eyes lit up with joy, and he kept bowing and thanking her: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your reward! Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your reward!"

Because he was fat, His Highness had ordered people to strictly control his diet. He would not even have the chance to touch desserts like this on a normal day, let alone eat such a big bag.

If His Highness asked, he would have reason to reply that it was given by Fengyi. His Highness would not offend Fengyi just to stop him from eating the sweet cake.

Truly the best of both worlds!

Li Fu's eyes were glued to Qiu Fen, unwilling to leave her even for a moment. Liang Hanzhang couldn't help but laugh as he watched her excitedly leave with her whisk. It was unimaginable that someone as serious and righteous as Li Cheng could have such a frivolous foodie serving him.

The old eunuch always appeared friendly to everyone and never played any tricks. What ability did he rely on to sit firmly in the position of the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace for so many years?

Liang Hanzhang was puzzled. The little hands kept pulling at his hair and twisting it into small circles, then untying it at the end, doing this over and over again without getting tired.

But what exactly did Li Fu mean when she said the Crown Prince had a delicate relationship with the Emperor and Empress? As far as she knew, Emperor Hui'an, your Highness's biological father, and his wife, Empress Wang, were deeply in love. All three of their children were born to the Empress. Since he ascended the throne several years ago, there have been no concubines in the harem except the Empress.

The crown prince was both the eldest and the legitimate son, and was deeply loved by Emperor Hui'an. As early as when Emperor Hui'an ascended the throne, he appointed him as the crown prince. The favor he showed was self-evident.

Liang Hanzhang did not believe in any royal family affection, but Emperor Hui'an was diligent in his work and loved his people. He and the empress supported each other and had a deep affection for the princes and princesses.

If so, what exactly is the rift between His Highness and the Emperor and Empress? As Qiufen instructed her on the etiquette for tomorrow's audience with the Emperor, she knew that entering the palace tomorrow might be a good opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved.

Li Fuchikengchikeng carried the peach blossom pastry back to Tingyu Pavilion. He wanted to solve it directly outside, but after thinking about it, he didn't inform His Highness yet, which would have a bad impact.

He shook his head, straightened his clothes, then bent down and pushed the door open.

Li Cheng was wiping the sword in his hand with a silk handkerchief. The sword was simply decorated with only a small green tassel on the hilt, but the sword body was several feet long and emitted bursts of chill under the cold light.

When Li Fu saw clearly that the black sword in His Highness's hand was not the one he usually wore around his waist, his eyes froze and his throat seemed to be blocked by cotton, making him unable to make a sound.

The prince didn't look at him, his eyes still fixed on Xuan Jian: "How is it?"

Li Fu's voice was hoarse. "The Empress has learned about this and will enter the palace with Your Highness tomorrow. She seemed very happy. Before I left, I was even rewarded with a bag of peach blossom cakes." Speaking of peach blossom cakes, his tone became much lighter.

Li Cheng glanced sideways, raised her eyelids and looked at the big bag of peach blossom cakes wrapped in oil paper in his hand, then tilted her head, and her thick eyelashes hid the emotions in her eyes.

He sneered and said, "You have a good relationship with her."