There was a knock on the door and Xie Rangchen turned around.

Their eyes met.

Helian Yu decisively dodged and looked at Caiyun who was reporting in a hurry: "Prepare the horses."

The relationship between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor has always been bad, and this is a fact known to the whole world.

However, no matter how bad it is, these etiquettes cannot be lost.

A dozen fast horses galloped out of the princess's mansion, creating flying dust on the quiet imperial road in the capital.

The night was silent, and the chirping of summer cicadas startled the dullness.

The palace gates were wide open, allowing more than a dozen horses to pass freely.

The soldier guarding the gate was probably a rookie, and he stared in astonishment: "My goodness, Princess Zhaoyang really treats the rules as a joke."

The old soldier next to him had a gloomy face: "Why, do you have any objections?"

The soldier shook his head and rubbed the back of his head, smiling innocently: "I've heard that Princess Zhaoyang is extraordinary, but I didn't expect to see it with my own eyes!"

The news of the empress dowager's death spread throughout the official residences in the capital overnight.

As the New Year approaches, it is inevitable that we feel sad when encountering such things.

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the air was filled with the scent of ambergris, every wisp of it exuding a soothing aroma.

The bright yellow figure sat beside the couch, staring at the flame of the candle on the low table, motionless.

"Father."

Helian Yu had no time to change clothes and hurried into the palace. Seeing Helian Su in such a posture, he hurried forward.

Helian Su did not raise his head, but just said: "Sit with me for a while."

Helian Yu sat on the other side of the low table. Seeing that the expression on Helian Su's face was the same as usual, he felt relieved.

"Father is sad that the Queen Mother passed away?"

Helian Yu felt a little guilty for asking this question.

Everyone in the world knows the relationship between the emperor and the empress dowager. The mother and son have not been close in these years. Even she doesn't think the emperor will be really sad.

Or maybe…

He is really sad.

Helian Yu grabbed Helian Su's right hand.

Helian Su raised his eyes to look at her, sighed, and then curled his lips, as if relieved of a heavy burden: "In fact, after so many years, the resentment in my heart has long been smoothed away."

"But I am the emperor. I can't take the initiative to show my good will to her. What's more, the queen mother will not take the initiative to bow her head."

Helian Yu didn’t quite understand, she was also stubborn, but after getting rid of her unhappy emotions, she would take the initiative to bow her head, of course - provided that she was wrong.

"I can't tell what emotion I'm feeling right now, sad? Upset? Not like that."

Helian Su sighed again: "I have no intention of actively getting close to the Queen Mother, but I hope she is alive."

Helian Yu: “???”

I don't quite understand.

Helian Yu didn't understand, so he just tried to be a good listener.

Helian Su talked to her for most of the night, from the difficult and cold days after he was born, to the palace coup, to the present.

He picked out the experiences of most of his life that left the deepest impression on him and told them to Helian Yu.

At first Helian Yu thought he just wanted to complain or seek some comfort, but as he spoke, something seemed wrong.

He seemed to be teaching her how to be a good emperor.

Helian Yuyu raised her eyelashes slightly: "Father?"

"Yeah." Helian Su sighed countless times that night. He held Helian Yu's hand tightly, his sharp phoenix eyes filled with tenderness. Compared to the emperor, he was always like a father in front of Helian Yu. "Xiao Yu'er, I have thought it through very clearly. You are more suitable to be an emperor than the prince."

Helian Yu wanted to take her hand back. She was not sure what she was thinking for the time being.

The power of the world is indeed wonderful, but she does not belong to the world.

She wasn't sure what the future would hold and she was afraid.

She also wanted to know what he was thinking.

"Father, this matter——"

"Xiao Yu'er, no one is more suitable to be the emperor than you. You are more cruel than the fourth brother, but you are more righteous than the prince." Helian Su said every word carefully. "I wanted to train you to be a princess of the auxiliary country in the early years. After the prince ascends the throne, you will be the eldest princess of the auxiliary country. I originally wanted to leave a few imperial decrees to protect your safety in this life."

"But over the years, I have seen your ability to govern the country and control your people. You are a natural emperor."

Helian Yu lowered his eyes: "Perhaps, it is because of what I have in my hand?"

Helian Su groaned: "Part of it. Xiao Yu'er, you are better than your brother, and you are more experienced. That position must belong to you."

"It seems that it is too early for father to speak." Helian Yu pursed his lips, unable to muster a smile, "Father is in good health, it is not the time to talk about this. It is late at night, I will go to Fengyang Pavilion to rest first."

Although Helian Yu moved out of the palace, Fengyang Pavilion had always been left vacant for her, with some servants staying in it to clean and repair it regularly.

Helian Yu returned to Fengyang Pavilion and saw the familiar displays, feeling mixed emotions.

The days of this world pass by too fast.

It's like holding a handful of sand.

Everyone can see where the sand disappears.

This sudden feeling of cherishment made Helian Yu breathe a sigh of relief.

At night, Helian Yu did not sleep well until a familiar cold fragrance lingered around her nose, and she gradually calmed down.

Inside the curtain, beside the brocade quilt, the young man in the bright red robe looked the same, but his face was cold and bloody.

Beside his strong waist, his bony jade fingers tightly grasped... a dagger.

The moonlight shone through the lattice window and fell on the lower half of Xie Rangchen's face. It was impossible to make out his expression, but one could see a hint of self-mockery on his lips.

Sure enough, I still can’t bear to let go.

The morning light rises, and it is a new day.

The palace was busy with the funeral for the Queen Mother, and the joyous atmosphere of preparing for the New Year was completely diluted.

Helian Yu did not take part in the management. Most of the time, she stayed by Helian Su's side, reviewing memorials with him and occasionally giving the emperor small lessons.

“So tired!”

Helian Yu finally got the chance and returned to the princess's mansion. As soon as he got back, he threw himself onto the big bed.

The sound of light footsteps was heard.

Helian Yu closed his eyes without raising his head: "Master, you came back so quickly."

Because of being busy, Helian Yu has forgotten the "deteriorated master-disciple relationship" that she should have faced.

Even now, apart from wanting to take a nap, she didn't have the slightest thought about this matter.

"The envoys from Zhongzhou have been staying in the Honglu Temple for more than ten days."

Helian Yu was confused and could not react to his meaning for a moment: "What's wrong? Just stay here. Didn't Master forbid me to go and see him? I haven't seen him yet... But I have to see him anyway... I'm curious..."

Xie Rangchen stared at Helian Yu with a cold and conflicted look. He knew what to do was right, but he couldn't control himself, even though he knew how painful the future would be.

Helian Yu woke up in the middle of the night because of thirst, and fumbled to get up and pour water.

As soon as the fingers touched the ground, there was a warm feeling.

Helian Yu struggled to open his eyes, rubbed them a few times, and took a closer look -

The handsome young man leaned against the bed, the curtains blocking the moonlight, casting a hazy shadow on him.

“Master?!”

Xie Rangchen had an expressionless face, and in Helian Yu's eyes, he looked like a living dead.

"Master, after coming back this time, why are you becoming more and more like a playboy?"

Helian Yu had a complicated expression.

Now that she thought about it, she really wanted to try. After all, her life was long enough and broad enough, and she didn't care about worldly rules, but... not now.