Sympathy
As his thoughts moved, Xiao Bo's forehead was already against the beauty's jade-smooth forehead.
If he just lowered his head and moved closer, he could easily grab the plump and juicy fruit.
But Xiao Bo was a little hesitant. When he was about to get close, he felt that he was dark and ugly and did not dare to cross the line.
Pei Zhaoying was born noble and had noble character. She was the purest and brightest flower in this corrupt world.
He was only able to occupy the position by her side by relying on his extra life and scheming, and she trusted him so much. Could it be that he was going to devour all her happiness without satisfaction...
"Your Highness! Someone is coming from the palace!"
Someone knocked on the study door.
Both of them froze and returned to their normal distance.
Especially Xiao Bo, he was calm as if they had never been in close contact before.
Pei Zhaoying was secretly injured and choked. He raised his voice and slammed the table, asking his men to come in and talk.
"...Your Highness, it was Eunuch Wei who invited you and your husband to the palace for a chat. He said the Grand Marshal and the Marquis of Huaiyang were both present, and His Majesty was in the mood, so he wanted to invite you to play chess and chat. This not only preserves the brotherly bond, but also brings together the most talented officials in the court, which will please His Majesty."
Pei Zhaoying snorted in anger and amusement, and asked Eunuch Wei to wait for a moment. After she and her husband washed and dressed, they went into the palace together.
Her good mood was completely ruined. Pei Zhaoying didn't dress up too much. She simply put on a layer of powder and moisturizing lip balm.
In the carriage, she deliberately didn't want to talk to Xiao Bo, but Xiao Bo came to her to talk.
"The struggle between the Grand Marshal and the Marquis of Huaiyang has intensified recently. It's time to put an end to it. I guess the Emperor is worried that they might cause trouble in the palace, so he asked you to step in. So, they're not targeting us specifically, so you don't need to be too nervous or worried."
"I'm not nervous, I'm just annoyed. I'm annoyed that he always has to drag me over whenever he's unsure about something. Since he's the emperor, he should have great power and make his own decisions. How can he not be able to do things independently? I'm still hoping that Xiao Yucheng or someone else can inspire him."
Pei Zhaoying's trust in Xiao Bo grew day by day. Although she had some small quarrels with him, she forgot her temper when Xiao Bo took the initiative to talk to her. She told him all the deep sorrows in her heart that she couldn't tell others.
Not to mention the rift in family ties, Pei Zhaoying was secretly worried about Pei Heng's condition.
He is weak when he should be tough, and uses tricks when he should be sincere, and his tactics are not clever, so people can see through him at a glance. His backbone is not strong enough to support him to become a wise ruler.
Pei Heng's scheme against Pei Zhaoying made her even more heartbroken.
Pei Zhaoying described the past to Xiao Bo, mixed with regret:
"Although His Majesty was a bit timid when he was young, his character was impeccable. One time, I went to the palace and secretly took him to climb a tree. As a result, he couldn't get down and was so anxious that he cried. When the palace servants found him, they didn't even report me..."
The trace of warmth buried deep in childhood disappeared silently with the struggle for power.
Xiao Bo listened quietly, patted the back of her hand, and said with a wry smile:
"It's a pity that people's hearts change. You certainly wouldn't have thought that Xiao Yucheng and I would become so hostile to each other, but when we were younger, we were still very close brothers. So, there's no need to be sad about the past, and don't be soft-hearted and keep getting hurt."
In order to comfort Pei Zhaoying, he did not hesitate to expose his own scars.
At that time, children did not understand the concepts of "marrying into the family" and "fighting for the family property".
Xiao Yucheng was a very respectable older brother, always standing in front of Xiao Bo when things were going well, and letting Xiao Bo sit on his shoulders to watch the fun at the market. When Xiao Bo was a child, he was thin and weak, but none of the children in the neighborhood dared to bully him, because they all knew that Xiao Bo had a good older brother.
Xiao Yucheng once waved a branch and said with a smile that he would become a general when he grew up. At that time, Xiao Bo was his most trusted deputy general.
As he wished, Xiao and Cheng's vision came true, but Xiao Bo was thrown into a remote area to serve as an official and fend for himself.
Pei Zhaoying felt much better, but she had no words to comfort Xiao Bo, so she turned over and held Xiao Bo's hand. The two people who shared the same pain hoped that each other would feel better.
Even when they arrived in front of the emperor, they did not loosen their hands.
A hint of pride in being able to tie up a good minister flashed in Pei Heng's eyes.
The Marquis of Huaiyang teased them in a bad way about being too inseparable, but Pei Zhaoying turned a deaf ear to him.
She quietly squeezed Xiao Bo's hand with more force, meaning that he should ignore such people.
Xiao Bo replied, indicating that he knew what was going on and she could just rest assured.
Pei Heng greeted with a smile:
"Today, the Grand Marshal and the Marquis of Huaiyang are in the mood to play a game of chess. The Marquis of Huaiyang plays white, and the Grand Marshal plays black. For a long time, there's no clear winner. Imperial sister, come and take a look. In your opinion, who has a better chance of winning?"
How could those two people be interested in playing chess? Pei Heng deliberately aroused their competitive spirit.
Xiao Yucheng was very concerned about his reputation. He took a black chess piece and thought hard, thinking that he must not lose. And as for the Marquis of Huaiyang, he really couldn't let him become too powerful. It would be better to kill him as soon as possible to save trouble.
Pei Zhaoying took a quick glance and replied, "Your Majesty, you think too highly of me. I'm not an expert at chess, so I can't make any rash conclusions."
Didn't Pei Heng just want to ask her who would have the upper hand in the struggle, and listen to her flatter him by saying that he was wise and brave?
She was tired and really didn't want to continue acting with the Pei family mother and son.
Pei Heng didn't ask any further questions.
Anyway, he called Pei Zhaoying because he was worried that the two restless officials would get into a fight that would end badly. Now that Pei Zhaoying was here, even if they overturned the chessboard and started fighting on the spot, Pei Zhaoying would be there to stand in front of them.
The Marquis of Huaiyang looked like a fat and unlearned prince, but he was proficient in chess. He defeated Xiao and Cheng on the chessboard so badly that they were almost scratching their heads.
The game lasted an extremely long time. The Marquis of Huaiyang made his moves very quickly, while Xiao and Cheng often had to rack their brains in each round and made their moves very slowly.
Xiao Yucheng, who looked down on everyone, actually had such a humiliating day. Pei Zhaoying laughed out loud.
Xiao Yucheng glared at me: "Why are you laughing at me?"
Before Pei Zhaoying could retort, Xiao Bo looked over at her coldly:
"Brother, I'm newly married. Please behave like a brother to my new bride."
No matter whether there is an emperor or a powerful prince present at the moment, Xiao Bo only wants to protect this person.
Pei Zhaoying is the meaning he has been searching for in two lifetimes.
Pei Zhaoying clasped his hand tightly, and his cold palm began to slowly absorb her warmth.
Pei Heng thought that the "two Xiaos coexisting" strategy had taken effect, and was happy to see Xiao Bo express his loyalty to the royal family.
Xiao and Cheng could hardly tell that the purpose of this trip was to remove the Marquis of Huaiyang, so they swallowed their anger for once:
"My dear brother, you are well versed in the six arts of a gentleman, and are particularly accomplished in chess. Could you please help me look at this chess game?"
Marquis Huaiyang clapped his hands and smiled, "It's all right if you just watch, but a true gentleman watches chess without saying a word. Please don't collude with me and collude against me."
The chessboard was made by the emperor, and each chess piece was hand-carved by the most skilled craftsmen of the time from rare shellfish. It could be called a work of art. However, the chess game was in disarray. Xiao and Cheng were already on the decline, and they were wasting time round after round.
Xiao Bo secretly glanced at Pei Heng's expression again. When two tigers fight, one of them will be injured. In this round, he wanted to know who Pei Heng wanted to keep.
Sure enough, Pei Heng smiled without saying anything, and did not give them any hints. At this juncture, he had no opinion and was just waiting for the outcome of the fight.
Pei Heng didn't consider how to respond if these two powerful officials suddenly attacked him.
Xiao Bo's heart sank, and he stood closer to Pei Zhaoying. In case Pei Heng played with fire and got himself burned, he could still protect Pei Zhaoying.
Xiao and Cheng dragged on for too long, and gradually everyone present lost their patience.
The Marquis of Huaiyang put down his chess piece. Rong Xiao and Cheng slowly scratched their heads and said to Pei Heng in a caring manner:
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, it's too early to decide the outcome of this game of chess. I have specially ordered tribute from Huaiyang of the local special flowers and plants. They are dazzling and gorgeous, rarely seen in the capital, and are all precious treasures. After careful inspection, they have been sent to the greenhouse. I implore Your Majesty to come and admire them. After Your Majesty has enjoyed the flowers, the chess game will be decided."
His face was full of smiles, his flesh trembling, hiding a hint of venomous cruelty.
He has been occupying a certain area and working hard to build his business, but he sees that Xiao and Cheng are trying to force him into a dead end. So he might as well take a gamble and overturn the chessboard!
Pei Heng was bored and had nothing to do, so he agreed. He gave the Marquis of Huaiyang some face and said with a pleasant face:
"My dear sister, please come with me. There is always endless talk between siblings. Especially since my sister surrendered, I have been thinking about the past and have a lot to tell my sister!"
Pei Zhaoying pulled the corners of his mouth awkwardly, unable to laugh when he thought of their tenuous blood relationship.
Xiao Bo was about to push Pei Zhaoying's wheelchair, but Pei Heng emphasized, "I have something to say to my sister, so please be impartial and watch over the outcome of this game."
The last time, also in the imperial palace, Pei Zhaoying was poisoned and her life was hanging by a thread.
Xiao Bo pursed his lips, feeling uneasy.
Pei Zhaoying gave him a look that said "don't worry", put on a good show, and agreed to Pei Heng's request. The two of them were surrounded by guards and maids and moved to the greenhouse.
Xiao Bo's anxious heart finally settled down.
Pei Zhaoying turned around several times and blinked at him.
As lively as a fairy who has strayed into the mortal world.
Although the palace confinement that trapped them was abominable, the forces of all parties were intertwined and they were tied together. He was the only person Pei Zhaoying trusted.
So, because of her subtle comfort, Xiao Bo's heart finally settled down. He smiled and thought about how to deal with these two poisonous snakes.
Xiao Yucheng rolled his eyes at him, thinking that this guy must be stupid. He wanted to deal with Huaiyang Hou. He was about to lose the game, but this guy was still laughing!
Xiao Yucheng held the chess piece in his hand with a sullen look on his face, continuing to stall for time. He inappropriately thought of the trap Pei Zhaoying had set for him in the marriage. However, Pei Zhaoying's every frown and smile after marriage seemed to be less annoying. Do women lose some of their sharp edges after marriage?
Girls should be obedient to please others. Xiao Yucheng thought about all these messy things and made another bad move.
As soon as he stepped into the greenhouse, Pei Heng became angry and threw a pot of flowers in anger:
"Get lost! I need to speak to my sister alone. Get out of here! If anyone hears a single word, I'll cut off their ears and gouge out their eyes!"
The attendants retreated tremblingly, not even daring to guard the door of the greenhouse. Pei Heng could not touch the powerful minister, so killing a few palace maids was still a very efficient move.
There was a young eunuch who was timid. He accidentally fell while retreating. He had no time to get up. He was afraid that if he was slow, he would anger the emperor and lose his head, so he rolled and crawled on the ground using his hands and feet to crawl away.
When Pei Zhaoying saw this, he felt very uncomfortable.
When she first became disabled, she had a terrible temper, but she usually took her anger out on inanimate objects like utensils and never beat or killed a servant.
Recently, she heard rumors coming from the palace that a group of eunuchs serving in the imperial court had died.
The greenhouse was full of flowers. In order to protect the flowers and prolong their blooming period, the inner room was toasty hot. The roof was made of glazed tiles that let in light, but Pei Zhaoying felt a chill. Pei Heng's face became unfamiliar under the beam of light.
After everyone had left, Pei Heng couldn't wait to take something off his waist and threw it to Pei Zhaoying.
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