Chapter 028 Chapter 28
Outside Shoukang Palace.
Aunt Danfeng was already waiting outside with Yingxue.
Seeing Xu Duanyi leading Xie Qingya over from afar, the two people who were standing at the door waiting eagerly immediately smiled.
"The eldest princess!"
The two of them smiled and called out to Xu Duanyi, then immediately went to meet him. When they were almost there, they lowered their heads and greeted Xie Qingya, "Your Majesty."
Xie Qingya still looked indifferent.
Hearing this, he just hummed in a cold voice and glanced to the side, obviously not taking them seriously.
Aunt Danfeng was about to frown when she saw him like this, but then she heard Xu Duanyi ask with a smile, "Aunt, where is your aunt?"
At that moment, he no longer cared about the King of Nannan.
Dan Feng hurriedly said to Xu Duanyi, "We are waiting for you inside. Thinking that you would come back today, the Queen Mother got up early in the morning."
"I also asked the kitchen to prepare a lot of your favorite foods for you."
Dan Feng's eyebrows are smiling and her eyes are relaxed.
The look he gave Xu Duanyi was one of respect and pity.
"You and the prince, please go in quickly."
She was afraid that Xu Duanyi would be exposed to the sun.
Xu Duanyi smiled and agreed, but did not go in immediately. Instead, he said to Xie Qingya beside him, "Prince, let's go in."
"Um."
Xie Qingya still had that indifferent look on his face and didn't even look at Xu Duanyi.
He seemed not to care about her.
How could he look like he was running away in the carriage just now?
Dan Feng and Ying Xue frowned as they watched.
Xu Duanyi's expression remained normal, without any change.
She walked forward side by side with Xie Qingya.
On the way, he also asked Dan Feng how his aunt's food and accommodation were these two days.
This was what she was most worried about when she left the palace.
Dan Feng observed her expression and saw that she didn't care. Although she was dissatisfied with the way the Prince of Nan'an acted, she couldn't say anything in front of the Princess, lest she feel embarrassed.
If you don't see it, it's clean.
She simply stopped going to see the King of Nan'an. This book is exclusively compiled by the LK team. While she led the way for the two of them, she smiled and answered Xu Duanyi's words.
After entering the gate and walking across a path, you will reach the main hall.
When they were almost there, Aunt Danfeng seemed to remember something and said, "Oh, by the way, His Majesty is here today too."
As she said this, her remaining eyes silently glanced at Prince Nan'an beside her.
But the Prince of Nangan still looked the same as before, and nothing could be seen.
She was afraid of being noticed, so she quietly looked away.
Dan Feng didn't know.
She thought she was doing it secretly, but in fact Xu Duanyi saw everything.
Xu Duanyi watched her actions, pursed her lips slightly, and pinched her fingertips unconsciously with her slender fingertips.
She also glanced over at Xie Qingya.
Seeing that his expression remained the same, Xu Duanyi silently withdrew her gaze and lowered her eyelids.
Until I heard the palace servant in front of me replying happily: "Queen Mother, the eldest princess is back!"
Try to focus your thoughts at this moment.
A gentle smile appeared on Xu Duanyi's face again.
Dan Feng led them into the house.
Following behind him was Bixi, who was holding a gift box.
As Changfeng was an outsider, it was not convenient for him to enter the palace, so he was waiting for them on the palace road outside the inner palace.
As soon as Xu Duanyi entered, the first thing he saw was Empress Dowager Zhaoyu sitting in the main seat facing them.
No matter what he had thought before, when he saw Empress Dowager Zhaoyu, Xu Duanyi still quickened his pace unconsciously and called out, "Aunt."
Empress Dowager Zhaoyu was also quite moved when she saw her.
The girl whom she had watched grow up since she was a child is now married and has even tied her hair into a bun... She is naturally filled with a myriad of emotions.
"Come here quickly."
She extended her hand to Xu Duanyi, not caring whether she bowed or not.
But etiquette cannot be abolished.
Xu Duanyi has always attached great importance to rules and etiquette.
If it was only my aunt, it would be fine, but His Majesty is here today... What's more, there is also Xie Qingya.
She was afraid that her aunt would take advantage of the situation.
"I haven't kowtowed to you and His Majesty yet." Xu Duanyi said this first, half smiling and half coquettishly.
Then, after Xie Qingya came over, he and she greeted their aunt and His Majesty.
The moment the young emperor saw Xie Qingya appear, he clenched his hands hidden under his sleeves.
These years.
He seldom sees his cousin.
Only a few times, when he left the palace to pray in Huang'en Temple, was he able to see his cousin.
But with so many eyes around, they couldn't be discovered, so they couldn't talk much. This book is exclusively compiled by the LK team. He only remembered that three years ago, the little noble suddenly gave him a secret note.
Afterwards, he met his cousin in Huang'en Temple.
At that time, my cousin's reputation in the city was already very bad. Both the common people and the officials said that my cousin was drunk every day and was no longer capable of taking on important tasks.
He naturally didn't believe it in his heart.
His cousin was the most powerful young general. How could it be possible that he became so useless?
It was not until a palace banquet that he lost his temper for the first time and, using his status as emperor, insisted that they let his cousin enter the palace.
He thought at that time that they deliberately said that to his cousin and deliberately prevented him from seeing his cousin.
So that we can continue to control him.
Later, he finally met his cousin.
But he was a drunkard who fell to the ground when someone let go of his hand, and kept talking about drinking.
He finally believed it then.
His cousin is really different.
He was extremely sad at that time and didn't understand why such a brave and heroic cousin had become like this?
He also panicked about his future situation.
His maternal grandfather's family was weak and had no say in the court, and his mother was killed by the queen mother... He could originally rely on his cousin, but he didn't expect his cousin to become like this.
Who else can he rely on?
Do we really have to live in this fear and anxiety every day?
Like a sword hanging over your head.
He didn't know when the sword would fall and pierce his neck.
Until that secret letter——
He went to Huang'en Temple and saw his cousin who was completely different from the one who was drunk at the palace banquet that day.
But my cousin at that time was no longer the same as before.
It felt strange to him.
My cousin used to be unbridled and high-spirited.
It is like the most dazzling sun hanging above the sky.
But the cousin in Huang'en Temple was taciturn and obviously more reserved, looking like a pool of stagnant water.
Since then.
He then got in touch with his cousin.
Huang'en Temple became their meeting place.
But in order to avoid attracting the attention of the Queen Mother and Cao Da, they have only seen each other a few times in these years.
His cousin kept telling him not to worry.
But how could he not worry? He stayed in this high-walled palace every day, and he didn't know how many eyes were staring at him.
He couldn't sleep at night.
I'm afraid that one day I'll be killed in my dream.
Like his brothers, like his mother...
The situation improved slightly only after Mr. Mei won the top spot in the imperial examination last year.
Although he and his cousin still couldn't meet in person, he could always ask Lord Mei to tell him anything on a daily basis.
This made him feel much more at ease.
Seeing his cousin at this time, the young emperor immediately felt a strong sense of admiration and affection in his heart.
Now in this world, he only has his cousin, the only relative who truly cares for him.
Just thinking of what Lord Mei told him yesterday, the young emperor clenched his palms tightly, trying his best not to reveal any clues.
He didn't speak right away.
When the queen mother is around, it is not his turn to speak first.
"Get up."
Empress Dowager Zhaoyu spoke.
Although she was dissatisfied with Xie Qingya, she couldn't bear to leave her baby Zhaozhao, so she knelt with him.
Dan Feng stepped forward and helped Xu Duanyi up.
After Xu Duanyi got up, he thanked her again and then took the gift box prepared for the two of them from Bixi's hand.
"This is a gift that the prince and I prepared for my aunt and His Majesty."
After she finished speaking, she handed the things to Dan Feng and Xiao Guizi respectively.
The gift to Empress Dowager Zhaoyu was a fan with the word "Shou" on it. The dark red fan handle and the word "Shou" on it did not seem special, but the magic lay in this word... If you looked at it from a distance, there would be a hundred "Shou" characters, but if you looked at it closer, there would be only one larger "Shou" character left.
"Huh?"
Dan Feng saw the clue first, she was a little surprised: "Queen Mother, look!"
She presented the thing in her hand to Empress Dowager Zhaoyu as if she were presenting a treasure.
Empress Dowager Zhaoyu took a look and also saw the clue. She was used to seeing good things and originally just wanted to avoid offending Zhao Zhao.
Now that I see the cleverness of this, I am somewhat surprised.
"This is a novel thing." Empress Dowager Zhaoyu took it and played with it in her hand.
From the expression on her face, I could tell that she was very satisfied with this item.
Xu Duanyi smiled with her eyes squinting: "I knew my aunt would like it."
Empress Dowager Zhaoyu also looked at her and smiled, her eyes soft, "Zhao Zhao still understands my heart the best."
She reached out to Xu Duanyi again, and glanced at Xie Qingya who was standing there as a wooden stick. Although she didn't like him, she said lightly: "Give the Prince of Nan'an a seat."
"yes."
Yingxue led Xie Qingya to take a seat.
This time Xu Duanyi did not refuse and sat next to Empress Dowager Zhaoyu.
Empress Dowager Zhaoyu sat upright, holding Xu Duanyi's hand. As if she had just remembered something, she asked the young emperor, "Where is the emperor? What gift is he holding?"
The young emperor hasn't opened it yet.
Hearing Empress Dowager Zhaoyu ask this, it felt like holding a hot potato.
Even though he knew his cousin wouldn't put anything in it, his heart hidden in his chest still started beating uncontrollably.
In the corner of my eye, I looked towards my cousin.
But I saw my cousin drinking tea with his head down and didn't even glance over here.
My heart beat faster.
"I know that Your Majesty loves chess, so I specially picked out a set of chess pieces for Your Majesty. Would you like to take a look?" A gentle female voice suddenly came into my ears.
The young emperor looked in the direction of the sound.
Just happened to meet Xu Duanyi's gentle, smiling eyes.
My tense mood suddenly relaxed for no reason.
The young emperor lowered his eyes and opened the gift box, and it turned out to be a set of chess pieces made of jade.
“多謝宜姐姐，多謝……南安王，朕很喜歡。”因為心情放松，少帝說話的聲音，都像是松了口氣的樣子。
謝清崖不語。
徐端宜則是笑着說了一句：“陛下喜歡就好”。
昭裕太後也懶得管他們。
她先前提起那話，倒不是為了查探什麽，只是随口一說罷了。
她也不想好不容易和昭昭團聚，還要留這麽兩個人在身邊，說話都不痛快。
實在不是很想見到他們。
“你們兄弟倆也很久沒見了，出去轉轉吧，該吃飯的時候，會有人去喊你們的。”
這便是要趕他們出去了。
少帝一聽這話，才放松的心情，立刻又變得緊張起來。
雖然他也想跟表兄見面說話。
但他并不傻，知道……
“多謝太後。”
倦懶低沉的聲音，打斷了少帝的思緒。
眼見表兄已經起來，少帝便也沒再猶豫，起身與昭裕太後拱手一禮：“那兒子先行告退。”
昭裕太後無可無不可的，點了點頭。
之後也就沒再管兄弟兩人，任由他們出去了。
徐端宜看着他們離開的身影，心裏則暗暗有些緊張，紅唇也再次輕抿起來。
直到聽到身邊姨母問她：“這兩日，在王府待得如何？”
徐端宜這才仿佛若無其事地收回視線，柔聲回道：“我挺好的。”
瞥見姨母一臉不信的模樣。
徐端宜笑着挽住她的胳膊，繼續柔聲同她說道：“真的挺好的。”
她說了幾樁事：“我進府第一日，王府的鄧姑姑便把王府的中饋交給我了。”
“下人對我也很是恭敬。”
昭裕太後挑眉：“以前劉鳶身邊的鄧琳？”
徐端宜說了是。
昭裕太後不置可否，淡淡說道：“她倒是個聰明的。”倒也沒再繼續問她過得好不好了。
有她為昭昭撐腰，自是無需擔心別人輕慢了她。
何況鄧琳是個聰明的。
至于謝清崖那小子——
想到謝清崖那個态度，昭裕太後便滿心不喜。
她也沒問昭昭，謝清崖對她如何。
看樣子就不怎麽樣。
不過也沒什麽，一個男人而已。
好不好的，這世上最靠不住的，便是男人的感情；最無用的，也是男人的感情。
當初先帝為娶她的時候，什麽天花亂墜的情話沒說過？
可等真的坐上那個位置之後，他又都做了什麽呢？
寵妾滅妻。
要不是她有家族作為支撐，又有啓兒，恐怕連皇後的位置都坐不穩！
與其去貪圖這些無用的感情，倒不如去掌控權勢。
有了權勢，才能為所欲為。
因此她也懶得問昭昭這些事，與其去問這些，還不如看昭昭想如何。
昭昭若是覺得這日子還可以，這南安王妃的身份也還不錯，便就繼續這麽當下去，日後有個兒女傍身，也挺好。
至于這謝清崖，管他做什麽？
若昭昭哪日不喜歡這身份了，或是有別的喜歡的人了，那她自然也能讓她得償所願。
總而言之，只要昭昭喜歡就好。
……
這一早上。
徐端宜和昭裕太後在屋中說體己話。
謝清崖和少帝也沒走遠，就在院子外頭下棋。
本來少帝還以為，表兄會像上回參加宮宴時一樣，故意把事情搞砸，或者要他跟他鬧一場，好證明他們如今關系真的不睦。
沒想到表兄竟主動提議跟他下棋。
少帝雖然不明白，但他一向聽表兄的話。
兩人就這麽光明正大地在壽康宮的院子裏，下起了棋。
“皇帝和南安王呢？”
偏殿，昭裕太後喝茶的時候，忽然随口問了這麽一句。
徐端宜正在給她剝枇杷。
聽到這話，她手上動作一頓，但也不過轉瞬的功夫，她便又繼續低着頭，若無其事地給人剝起了枇杷。
“在外頭下棋呢。”
丹楓剛才已經去外頭看過了，自然知道兩人在做什麽。
“下棋？”
昭裕太後皺眉。
“就在外面？”她問。
丹楓答：“就在外面，早上長公主給陛下的那副棋，陛下愛不釋手，非拉着南安王一道下。”
她知道太後想聽什麽，便又跟着一句：“南安王看起來不大願意，奴婢剛才……”
不小心嘴快了一些。
話到嘴邊，才反應過來，這話不應該當着長公主的面說。
昭裕太後見她忽然住嘴，皺了皺眉：“剛才什麽？”
丹楓卻沒像之前似的，立刻回答，而是往徐端宜那邊看了一眼。
昭裕太後便知曉，這話，不能讓昭昭聽到。
她一時未說什麽，但臉色顯然更加難看了。 本書由LK團隊為您獨家整理 “姨母吃枇杷。”
徐端宜把枇杷剝完後，又用小刀一片片切好，把核放到一旁的空盤上，之後又替人插上銀叉。
她神色如常，似乎并未察覺出什麽。
待把盛着枇杷的盤子，推到姨母那邊，徐端宜便又說道：“我去看看午膳準備得怎麽樣了。”
昭裕太後皺眉道：“這些事，哪用得上你？随便打發個宮人去就是。”
顯然，她舍不得徐端宜跑這一程。
這會快到吃午膳的時間，外頭的日頭正大着呢。
雖然還未入伏，但這個時間，總歸有些曬。
徐端宜卻笑：“我聽姑姑說您這幾日脾胃不好，我去做碗桂圓紅棗雞蛋羹，給您調理下脾胃。”
“你和昭昭說這些做什麽？”
昭裕太後不大高興地看了丹楓一樣。
還不等丹楓說什麽，徐端宜便先替她說了話：“您別怪丹楓姑姑，是我要她說的，丹楓姑姑是被我逼急了才沒法的。”
徐端宜說完便站了起來：“您先坐着，我去去就回。”
她廚藝還算可以。
在宮裏沒事幹的時候，總得找些事情做。
不過姨母平日不大讓她動手。
因此也就只有姨母身體不太好的時候，她才會給人做一些滋補調理的東西。
徐端宜走了出去。
昭裕太後看着她的身影，眼底滿是柔軟。
直到瞧不見了，昭裕太後這才收回視線，繼續讓丹楓說之前沒說完的話。
沒了長公主在身邊，這下丹楓沒再隐瞞。
把自己剛才打聽到的事，跟昭裕太後說了：“奴婢剛才聽說南安王想去暢音閣聽戲，不過陛下沒讓。”
“混賬！”
昭裕太後氣得拍了桌子。
雖然早知他是個什麽玩意，但昭裕太後還是怒氣勃發。
丹楓忙上前撫着她的後背勸道。
“您別生氣，氣壞了身體，長公主肯定得擔心。”
她也是知道說什麽管用。
果然，涉及徐端宜，昭裕太後雖然臉色還難看着，倒是也沒再拍桌子、砸東西了。
只沒好氣地罵了一聲：“扶不起來的玩意。”
這話顯然是在說謝清崖。
再一想，自己的昭昭那麽好，卻被她嫁給了這樣的人……她一面心中悔恨不已，覺得愧對阿沅的囑托，日後無顏再見她。
一面又更加嫉恨上了，使得昭昭進入這樣困局的曹達。
若不是這個狗奴才，昭昭又何至于嫁給這樣的混賬玩意！
這讓昭裕太後氣憤不已。
另一邊，少帝小心翼翼窺探了眼四周，見雖然還有人在附近盯着，但這次離得近的倒是沒了，便壓下聲音與謝清崖說話：“剛才表兄為何要說去暢音閣？我瞧剛才丹楓姑姑出來，就立刻有人去回消息了。”
他說着，便又忍不住皺起眉頭。
低着頭，似是在思索棋局，嘴上卻低聲說道：“母後若是知道，肯定又得生你的氣，早知如此，還不如剛才我對表兄發頓脾氣。”
他以為表兄這麽做，就是為了讓母後知曉，他如今已經不是從前那位意氣風發的謝家二郎了。
謝清崖一手撐着頭，一手拿着一顆白玉做的棋子。
他今日執白棋。
此時他亦垂着眼簾。
視線落在面前的棋局上。
薄唇一張一合，說的卻是：“我就是讓她知道。”
“為何？”
少帝不解。
他下意識都想擡頭了。
怕四周的探子發現，才又繼續低着。
謝清崖開口：“梅雪征跟我說，我跟……她的親事，是曹達一手造成的。”
少帝并未注意到，謝清崖在說到這個她字的時候，語句有短暫地停頓。
他說是。
回憶那時場景，少帝補充：“那日母後還發了好大的脾氣，聽說都摔碎了好幾套茶具。”
不明白表兄為什麽要忽然提到這個，少帝一臉不解：“表兄，你忽然說這個做什麽？”
這個除了證明表兄不受母後待見，還有……
心中忽然閃過一個念頭。
少帝眨了眨眼，忽然像是想明白了什麽似的：“表兄，你是想讓母後因此遷怒曹達？”
謝清崖見他了悟，便也扯起唇角，沖他笑了下：“陛下聰慧。”
少帝被他誇贊，心下歡喜，臉上笑意也愈濃。
但怕被人發現，他很快就收斂了這點笑意，只繼續做出對眼前這幅棋局，冥思苦想的模樣。
但他的心情，明顯變得輕松了不少。
只是想到一個人，他才又遲疑着說道：“可是……宜姐姐也在裏面，丹楓姑姑要是進去傳話的話，宜姐姐不也知道了？”
他不知道表兄如今和宜姐姐是什麽樣的關系。
He only knew that in the past, at least a long time ago, the relationship between his cousin and Sister Yi was very good.
The prince was very busy at that time.
He often followed Sister Yi and his cousin, going wherever they went.
He actually has some worries now.
He was afraid that his cousin would still treat Sister Yi the same way as before.
He knew that Sister Yi was a very good person. Most of the time, it was Sister Yi who helped him in front of the Queen Mother. But Sister Yi... was the Queen Mother's person after all.
He was afraid that his cousin had too good a relationship with her and that Sister Yi might find out something.
If Sister Yi tells the Queen Mother something at that time, then everything they have done in these years... will be destroyed in an instant.
By then, he might not even be able to survive, let alone take power.
The fear in his heart was now revealed on his face.
Others were too far away to see it.
Xie Qingya was sitting opposite him, so he could see it clearly.
He also knew the reason for his change of expression, and sighed silently in his heart. Xie Qingya comforted him: "Don't worry, she doesn't know anything, and I... won't let her know."
But his hand holding the chess piece tightened unconsciously.
Obviously, he was not completely unmoved by the young emperor's previous words.
Even when he was preparing to do this, he hesitated.
But life is full of trade-offs.
He...is no longer the Xie Qingya of the past.
He had no choice but to be the Xie Qingya of the past.
"The eldest princess."
Suddenly, a few greetings came from a distance.
It was almost an instinctive reaction. Xie Qingya's expression changed slightly and he immediately raised his head.
The hand holding the chess piece loosened for no reason.
The jade chess pieces broke into pieces and were destroyed instantly when they fell to the ground.
But he never noticed.
He just looked ahead.
He saw Xu Duanyi walking towards him not far away.
He also saw the gentle smile on her face. When her eyes met his, it suddenly froze a little, not as bright as usual.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment.
Xu Duanyi just nodded at them without coming over, and then continued walking forward.
"...Sister Yi should know."
The young emperor also saw it and said in a low voice.
Xie Qingya hummed and looked away calmly, seemingly without any change of emotion due to Xu Duanyi's words.
The young emperor on the opposite side breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him like this.
Xie Qingya could clearly feel his own heartbeat, which was a beat shorter than before.