Chapter 154 Counting Stars

Queen: "What do you mean, Concubine Shu?"

Concubine Shu looked directly at the Empress: "What do you think, Your Majesty?"

The two men's eyes met in the air, and before a moment had passed, they heard the eunuch outside announce that the emperor had arrived.

Murong Yu strode in with a frown.

He came to see the prince when he heard that he was injured. When he saw that the prince was not seriously injured, he looked relieved.

When Murong Yu heard what happened, he thought it was just an accidental injury between two children while they were playing.

"Alright, let's not argue about this anymore. Ning An didn't mean it, and he's already apologized. Prince, just take good care of yourself and don't mention this anymore."

After Murong Yu finished speaking, he left without staying for long.

The Queen brought Murong Zhen, and Concubine Shu brought Ning An, and they each returned to the palace from Lihe Hall.

After the Queen sent Murong Zhen to the Eastern Palace, she became even angrier when she returned to the Yifeng Palace.

"In the past, if Zhen'er felt unwell, the emperor would be furious and punish her severely. But today, when he met Concubine Shu and her daughter, he treated her so lightly. Not to mention punishing her, he didn't even say a harsh word.

And Consort Shu, now that she has been favored, she acts arrogantly in front of me. She really doesn't take me seriously!"

Nanny Dong: "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. This matter requires further consideration. Concubine Shu has been operating in the palace for many years and is not easy to deal with. Now that she is pregnant and favored by the Emperor, Your Majesty should not act rashly at this time."

The Queen drank half a cup of tea, and the heaving of her chest calmed down a little:

"I know this clearly. You can't use the same method to deal with the little devil to deal with Concubine Shu."

The queen rested her hands on the table, lost in thought.

At present, Concubine Shu is under the protection of the Emperor.

Without the emperor's support, Concubine Shu's arrogance would be extinguished.

Right now she needs someone, someone who can share her favor with Concubine Shu.

Yaohua Palace.

After Concubine Shu brought Ning An back, she asked Ning An to change her clothes first.

She fell asleep on the couch in the bedroom feeling a little tired.

She dealt with Murong Yu last night and went to the Queen's place to perform a drama this morning, so she was a little tired.

Only at this moment did she really feel that she was getting old.

When she first entered the palace as a teenager, she could stay up all night and still be full of energy the next day.

Only Concubine Shu and Nanny You were left in the bedroom.

"Send her a message and tell her that the matter is half done and that it will be her turn to take action after a while."

Shufei's voice was very low, as if she was asleep.

After receiving the order, Nanny You went down quietly.

The palace maid guarding outside the hall came in to serve and saw that Concubine Shu seemed to be asleep on the couch with nothing covering her.

The palace maid hurriedly took a thin quilt and carefully covered Concubine Shu with it, saying softly:

"Your Highness is pregnant, be careful not to catch a cold."

After saying this, she moved the brazier filled with charcoal closer.

Concubine Shu closed her eyes, turned over and continued to sleep, with a hint of sarcasm on her lips.

Pregnant?

There was no way she could have his child again.

No one can.

…

northwest.

The night fell from the sky like a piece of cloth, stubbornly held up by a solitary lamp.

Su Zhizhi held a lantern in her hand and stood with Xue Che in the vast snowy field, looking up and counting the stars.

There is not much wind tonight.

The light shadow is very stable.

The stars in the sky are very bright.

"There seem to be more stars in the northwest than in Lingnan, as many as the soldiers of the Xue family army."

Su Zhizhi was already dizzy from counting.

Xue Che: "The stars are the same, but here the plains are open and the fields are dark, so you can see them more easily."

Su Zhizhi pointed to the sky:

"Ache, have you seen that 'spoon'?"

Xue Che: "I see, that's not called a spoon, that's Xuanji Yuheng."

Su Zhizhi's point was: "The spoon is upside down."

Su Zhizhi and Xue Che read a book about celestial phenomena and astrology this summer.

On summer nights, they would sit on the grass and match the stars in the sky with the constellations mentioned in the book.

Su Zhizhi used to think that stars were just stars, just like fireflies flying freely in the sky.

She thought the stars also moved around, being in the east today and in the west tomorrow.

It was only this year that I realized that the stars have their own positions, and even if they move, there is a pattern and they don’t fly around randomly.

Now when they look at Xuan Ji Yu Heng in the northwest in winter, not only can they see it more clearly than in summer, even the direction of the spoon handle has changed.

Xue Che always remembered the contents of the book clearly:

"The book says that the directions of winter and summer are different. Zhizhi, if you read the book carefully, you will find many answers in it."

"Does the book say where the stars are most abundant? How high do I have to fly to pick them? Do the stars feel cool or warm to the touch?"

Su Zhizhi asked a series of questions, looking sincere in seeking advice from Xue Che.

"Are stars as hard as stone? Are they glowing insects that bite holes in the sky and squeeze their bodies in, so we can see them?"

Xue Che: "...I don't know. I haven't read about it in books."

"That's a good question, Zhizhi. Uncle will tell you, the stars are hot. When you hold them in your hands, they're as hot as fried golden cakes fresh from the pan."

Xue Yucheng's voice sounded behind him.

Su Zhizhi and Xue Che looked back and saw Xue Yucheng, Hao Ren, Song Yu, Qin Xiao and Wei Dashuan approaching.

They will set off from the northwest tomorrow.

Just now, we talked for a long time in the tent under the pretext of discussing the requirements for the production of military uniforms for next year.

Su Zhizhi walked towards Xue Yucheng.

She likes Uncle Xue very much.

Uncle Xue was handsome, a different kind of handsome than my father. Although he always had a serious face and a frown, his voice was very friendly when he spoke to me.

"Uncle Xue, have you ever picked stars? How did you pick them? Are they really like fried golden cakes?" Su Zhizhi's face was full of admiration.

Xue Yucheng patted Su Zhizhi on the head and said, "This is a secret. I'll tell you when you grow up and come to the northwest again."

Su Zhizhi: "Will Uncle Xue tell Che secretly?"

Xue Yucheng smiled: "Neither can I."

Xue Che looked up at Xue Yucheng's tall figure.

He felt a little reluctant to leave his father, but didn't say it out loud.

Xue Yucheng's eyes also revealed some reluctance:

"Che'er, when you go to Lingnan, just practice hard and grow up well. Then I can rest assured in the Northwest."

"good."

That night, Xue Yucheng talked with Xue Che for a long time and told him a lot of things in the military camp.

Xue Che fell asleep while listening, and Xue Yucheng sat beside him and watched.

Until a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon.

By daybreak, Qin Yuan and Captain Zhou had already reorganized their troops and were ready to return to Chang'an to report.

Since they were leaving, Hao Ren and his group had no apparent reason to stay any longer, so they also left on the same day.

The three parties said goodbye.

Qin Yuan kept winking at his grandfather:

"If any of you wish to go to the capital, you may go with me."

Qin Xiao, who had changed his appearance, replied without hesitation:

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Qin. We country folk are used to living in Lingnan and just want to go back to the village to take a look."

Qin Yuan: ...Grandfather, you have only been here for two months. What do you mean you are used to living among the mountain people?