Chapter 103 Chapter 103
Aunt Deng looked at the seriousness on his face and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't say anything more, nor did she ask the prince how he was going to bring the princess back. She just patted his arm gently and said, "I'll ask someone to prepare some food for you. You can have a good rest after eating."
She also felt that Prince Wang had lost a lot of weight recently.
Of course, I want the kitchen to make more food to feed us.
After she finished speaking, she bowed and left, and Butler Sun also left first.
"Your Highness, are you going back to Linfeng Pavilion or the study?" Changfeng asked him from behind.
"Go call your cousin over here. I have something to ask him." Xie Qingya instructed.
Changfeng knew that he wanted to ask about Quan Fangtong, so he didn't say much. He agreed and took Lingji to the study first.
Xie Qingya himself did not follow him to the study, but went to Linfeng Pavilion first.
Xie Qingya came back tonight, and the entire Nan'an Palace was very lively and happy, but no one went out of Linfeng Pavilion.
Their master has not returned yet.
Although Bixi was relieved, she would not go out casually when her master was not around.
I was thinking in my heart that when I give my master a message one day, I will tell him about this.
The master will surely be happy to know that the prince has returned.
But what she didn't expect was that the prince actually came to Linfeng Pavilion on his own initiative.
When she received the news, she was in the corridor with Xiu Yu making shoes for her master.
Although both the palace and the master's family had several embroiderers, some personal items were made by Bi Xi herself.
Talking to Xiuyu.
Suddenly I heard a few greetings coming from the front.
Bixi looked in surprise and saw a familiar figure.
I didn't expect the prince to come here at this time.
Logically speaking, the people in the palace should have told him that the master had not returned yet.
I don't know why he came here this time.
But this is his mansion after all, and this is also his old residence.
Although surprised.
But Bixi still stood up with Xiuyu and went over to greet people.
"The prince is back."
Xie Qingya hummed lightly.
He didn't know why he came here.
Xu Duanyi is obviously not here.
But for some reason, I wanted to come over and take a look.
"I'll go in and take a look."
After Xie Qingya finished speaking, he walked in first without waiting for Bi Xi and the others to say anything.
Bixi frowned and watched him walk in.
She heard several voices coming from her side, "Sister Bixi, what is the prince doing here? His Highness hasn't come back yet," "Will the prince stay here tonight?"... She retracted her gaze and said to them calmly, "It's okay, you guys go do your own things first, I'll go in and ask the prince."
"Xiuyu, go pour a cup of tea and I'll bring it in for the prince."
Everyone agreed, dispersed, and went back to doing their own things.
After Xiuyu finished pouring the tea next door, Bixi asked someone to guard the door and went in carrying the teacup.
When I entered, I saw the prince looking at the painting hanging in the house.
That was painted the day after Xu Duanyi came in.
Now the peach blossoms have faded, but the fruits have ripened and are hanging heavily on the branches, waiting to be enjoyed.
"That was painted the day after the master entered the mansion." Bi Xi put down the teacup and explained to others. She thought Xie Qingya didn't know.
But Xie Qingya actually knew about this from Changfeng a long time ago.
But now is the first time that I can truly stop and appreciate it.
He stared at the painting while asking Bixi, "How is she doing at the villa? Has she said when she will be back?"
Bixi lowered her eyes and replied, "I haven't contacted my master recently."
"So..."
Xie Qingya thought he could get some information from her, but he didn't expect Bixi didn't know either.
I felt a little empty inside for a moment.
He turned his eyes away from the painting. Since his master was not here, he was not going to stay here any longer. He was about to say goodbye to Bixi, but heard her say, "But I think the master must miss you and is worried about you."
Xie Qingya paused before he could finish his words.
He looked towards Bixi.
He knew that none of the maids around Xu Duanyi liked him.
Shi Yu has put it out in the open.
Although the maid named Bi Xi never revealed anything, Xie Qingya knew in his heart that she was the same as Shi Yu.
It's just that she is better at dealing with people than Shi Yu, and is better at concealing her emotions and dislike.
He didn't expect Bixi to say such a thing.
He looked at Bixi and asked, "Do you have anything to say to me?"
Bixi raised her head and looked at him with a little surprise.
But soon, she retracted her gaze, continued to lower her eyes, and said in a respectful and gentle manner: "I do have something to say to you, Your Majesty."
She was the first one to know her master's thoughts, and a few days ago, she learned about her master's plan from Shi Yu.
She knew that to her master, whether it was the prince or the queen mother, they were people she was reluctant to let go of, nor was she willing to hurt.
So she chose to hurt herself, to suffer, and to take everything on herself.
But on what basis?
Why should her master endure all this pain alone?
She couldn't interfere with her master's decision, nor did she dare to really destroy her plan, but she really couldn't bear to see her master suffering like this, and the King of Nangan knew nothing!
"Does your Highness know why the master painted this peach blossom?"
An unexpected opening remark. Xie Qingya didn't seem to expect that Bi Xi called him and wanted to talk to him about this.
He subconsciously glanced at the peach blossoms again.
But because of his pause, Bi Xi thought he didn't know. She didn't expect that he still remembered what happened that year.
"Because you gave her a basket of peaches that year, she fell in love with the peach tree."
"The Empress Dowager saw that she liked it, so she moved several peach trees in the Yu Garden to her courtyard, but she didn't know that the one that the mistress liked from beginning to end was only the peach tree in Linfeng Pavilion."
There were some things she had been holding back for too long.
She is usually calm and taciturn, and looks very introverted, just like her master.
Just some words.
Xu Duanyi might never tell Xie Qingya about this in her lifetime.
But Bixi doesn't have to care.
At this moment, she seemed unable to control her emotions. If she hadn't been concerned about the people outside, she would probably have lost control of her voice.
But even though she was forcing herself to hold it back, her voice was still a little sharper than usual.
"She likes you. She has liked you for a long, long time. Over the years, she has often gone to several places in the palace. Others may not know, but I know very well... Those places are where you and she have been together."
"She couldn't see you, and she didn't dare let others know her feelings for you. She could only rely on those memories to make herself happy."
"My master has no choice. The Queen Mother has great affection for her and has raised her. She cannot refuse what she gives her, and she dare not refuse."
"She can only accept it silently."
"When she was engaged to Prince Wen Zhao, she didn't dare to say anything. Later, when she saw you being arranged to marry, she didn't dare to say anything either."
"In the first year after you left to join the army, the master often came to the palace to visit the princess, but in the second year, she stopped coming, and later she rarely appeared in front of you."
"Some people say that the master stopped coming here because the Nan'an Palace was defeated. What do you think?"
"…Is it because I'm engaged to Xiao Baozhu?"
When Xie Qingya finished speaking, he realized that his voice had become a little hoarse again.
But he had no time to pay attention and just continued to look at Bixi.
Because of his answer, Bixi's expression softened a little and she was no longer as aggressive as before.
She glanced at Xie Qingya, and then replied, "Yes."
"She is the most disciplined and polite person."
"Because my cousin has arranged a marriage with you, it has become a luxury for the master to even come to the palace."
"Over the years, she has not dared to step out of line, for fear of causing inconvenience to others. If it weren't for the fact that my cousin broke off the engagement with you, and Cao Da had set his sights on the master, I'm afraid she would still be thinking about you silently like before, and would not dare to let you know her feelings for you."
"No, even if the master married you, she would never have thought of telling you this."
"She knows she's not welcome, and she doesn't want to bother you."
"If she hadn't thought you were suffering from an epidemic, she would have spent the rest of her life quietly being the Princess of Nan'an and not causing you any more trouble."
"For her, as long as she can marry you and be closer to you, it will be enough to make her happy."
Bixi looked at the emotion in King Nan'an's eyes.
She continued to lower her eyelids and said to him, "I am telling you this only to tell you that my love for you has never changed over the years."
"I don't know what you think of my master, but I beg you to be nice to her, especially don't misunderstand her. She is the last person who will hurt you or betray you."
Xie Qingya was not unaware of Xu Duanyi's feelings for him.
Even if he didn't know it before, the days in the courtyard were enough for him to see Xu Duanyi's feelings for him.
But this was the first time he saw Xu Duanyi's love for him from a third-party perspective.
More profound.
And more thorough.
During the time they were in the courtyard, he also asked Xu Duanyi about her life over the years, but she never showed any sign of being wrong from beginning to end.
She always said everything was fine and her aunt took good care of her.
Her cousin and his wife were also very nice to her.
It's just a bit boring.
Xie Qingya couldn't tell what he was feeling at the moment.
The satisfaction and fullness of being wrapped in Xu Duanyi's complete love, and the sadness and grief for her past, all these complex emotions came all at once and blocked his throat, making him want to hug Xu Duanyi.
It's a pity she's not here.
After a long, long time, he finally uttered a few words in a heavy voice.
"……I see."
He knew why Bixi said this.
未等碧溪再言，他便先一步擡起眼簾看着碧溪說道：“你放心，我不會背叛她，更不會欺騙她。”
“以後，我會好好對她，把我虧欠她的那些，全都補回給她。”
“無論發生什麽。”
碧溪聽到最後一句，終于松了口氣，她未再多言，垂眸低頭，與人欠身。
等謝清崖回到書房的時候，梅雪征已經到了。
畢竟是多年兄弟。
看着謝清崖進來時的那副臉色，梅雪征就感覺出不對了。
“怎麽了？”
他神色凝重地放下手中的茶碗，猜想到某個可能，梅雪征立即站起身，臉色難看地問道：“長公主出事了？”
“沒。”
“那你怎麽這個臉色？”
梅雪征自是不會相信他的話，他仍擰着眉問道。
謝清崖知道不說個什麽，他肯定有得問。
但也不想把自己跟徐端宜的事，一五一十全跟旁人說，便只是簡單同人概述了一句：“她婢女跟我說了些以前的事，跟我們的事沒有關系。”
說完，他便徑直走回到他對面的位置上坐下了，同人問起今日會面的正事。
“全方同那邊，你都安排好了？”
梅雪征聞言又看了他一眼，這才重新坐回去，與人說道：“都安排好了。”
“安排得誰？”
謝清崖問他。
這是在問全方同跟誰搭上關系了。
梅雪征看着他，吐出一個名字：“蕭元福。”
話音剛落，就見謝清崖皺起眉，梅雪征未等人問，就同人說：“這可不關我的事，是全方同自己搭上的這條線，我只是跟他說了我對他的看法，覺得他這些年在江寧幹得不錯，很适合擔任巡鹽禦史這個位置。”
說完，他又嗤嘲一句：“都說撐死膽大的，餓死膽小的，這全方同看着唯唯諾諾，沒想到碰到錢的事，就這麽敢幹。”
“在這個風頭上，就敢跑去跟蕭元福搭上線了，曹達知道後，恐怕得氣死。”
不過這對他們而言，倒是方便了許多。
原本這陣子曹達跟蕭家，就有些互相不對付了，全方同找蕭元福，可謂是直接在打曹達的臉。
要是能借機讓曹達和蕭氏的嫌隙更大一些，那就更好了。
梅雪征說道：“倘若這次能把蕭元福，也一并拉下來就好了，我早看他不順眼了。”
“我們收集的那些證據，這次應該能把蕭元福一起解決了吧？”梅雪征問謝清崖。
這人文不成武不就，只因托生了一個好門第，沒點本事，就能坐在戶部侍郎的位置，發號施令。
他們私下查過蕭元福。
此人收斂錢財的本事，比全方同只會多不會少，這次兩人搭在一起，也算是臭味相投了。
戶部是六部之重，和吏部差不多地位。
何況戶部還掌管着國庫。 本書由LK團隊為您獨家整理 錢在誰手中，誰就有話語權。
要是這次能把蕭元福一并拉下馬，保不準他們還能往戶部塞一個他們的人，日後做起事來，也就不用如此仰人鼻息了。
梅雪征正在暢想美好的未來。
耳邊卻忽然聽到這麽一句：“我打算找下蕭元星。”
梅雪征一時有些反應不過來，待看到謝清崖臉上的遲疑，梅雪征腦中忽然變得一片清明起來。
認識多年，他幾乎是立刻就明白過來，謝清崖的意思。
他再次擱下還沒喝的茶盞，手撐在桌上，看着人壓低聲音問道：“你是打算借蕭元福的事，跟蕭元星合作？”
謝清崖迎着他的注視，擡起頭。
他這次沒瞞他：“嗯。”
本書由LK團隊為您獨家整理 “你瘋了？”
梅雪征一時未能控制住自己的聲音。
聲音大的，就連門外的昌豐和令吉都聽到了，兩人彼此對視一眼，問屋內：“王爺，沒事吧？”
梅雪征也知道自己失态了。
雖然裏外都有人，不用擔心會被有心人聽到，但梅雪征還是努力平複了自己的情緒，等謝清崖跟外頭說了句“沒事”，他便繼續擰着眉，壓着嗓音跟人說道：“你知不知道蕭元星是誰？他是蕭家的當家人，是壽康宮那位的親侄子！”
“他不是嘉順長公主，他也不會看在你們過往的情分！跟他說，你是真不擔心壽康宮那位知道？他們一直在查你的底，你不是不知道！”
梅雪征說着說着，就自己先生起氣來。
他試圖放緩語氣，好聲好氣與人說：“清崖，我知道你着急，也知道你想跟長公主好好過日子，但做事不是這麽做的，你這跟自爆有什麽差別？蕭元福死不死，我不在意，就算這次他不能從那個位置上下來，我也無所謂，但你不能出事。”
“要是連你都出事，我以後該如何面對我娘，我又有何顏面……”
話還沒說完，梅雪征就又聽到一句：“蕭元星曾來過小院。”
原本還未吐完的話，忽然卡頓在了喉嚨裏。
“什麽？”
他呆怔着問道。
好一會，他才又眨了幾下眼睫，問他：“……什麽時候的事？”
謝清崖沒瞞他，如實回道：“端午前夕，他來小院，想接她回去。”
這倒是梅雪征沒想到的事。
他沒有立刻說話，過了會，才沉吟道：“這麽看來，這蕭世子對你家那位長公主，是真的挺不錯的。”
“但是——”
他皺着眉，還是不放心。
就算人對長公主不錯，那也不能保證，他真的會跟清崖合作啊。
他們瞞了這麽多年。
真要是在這個時候，出什麽纰漏，那清崖……
梅雪征實在不放心，也不敢放心，他試圖跟清崖再好生說道一番，好好從長計議。
再次被謝清崖的話打斷。
“表哥。”
謝清崖看着他說，“我跟徐端宜之間，不能總是讓她來付出。”
“你跟我，都很清楚，她這個身份的為難。”
“我不能這麽自私。”
“她為我做的已經夠多了，現在該由我來做了。”
本書由LK團隊為您獨家整理 梅雪征看着他，忽然沉默下來。
他的确清楚那位的為難，便是清楚，他才會為她之前的果決，如此震動。
他也的确為他們的愛情感動。
可是——
清崖這一說，就再也回不了頭了啊……
謝清崖見他神色已有松動，便又放緩語氣與他說道：“陛下跟蕭家之間，本也不是必死之局，倘若能說動蕭元星，他于我們而言，只會是助力。”
“話是這麽說，但……”
梅雪征看着謝清崖，英眉緊蹙，還是不放心。
他看着人，開始說最壞的結果：“要是蕭元星不顧念你跟長公主之間的情分，也不顧念這些東西，直接跟壽康宮那位說了，你該怎麽辦？”
謝清崖不是沒想過。
他也知道徐徐圖之，會更好。
把全方同解決，把曹達拉下馬，到時候有了底氣，再去跟壽康宮那位商量。
但他已經等不了了。
何況蕭元福畢竟是蕭家的人。
就算徐端宜不認他，也同樣厭惡他。
可厭惡是厭惡……
名義上，她始終要喊他一聲“表哥”。
若蕭元福真的出事，還是因為他的緣故，日後她又該如何在蕭家人和昭裕太後面前自處？
他知道。
倘若讓她知道這事，她肯定會讓他以大局為重。
不必顧忌她。
可正是因為他清楚，他才更加不能什麽都不為她着想。
她能為他不顧生死，他也一樣。
他想讓她知道。
她對他而言，和他的爹娘、兄長，和他謀劃多年的大業，一樣重要。
她從來不是他的棄選。
她是他的必選項。
“自從我聯系上陛下之後，原本就時刻處于危險之中。”謝清崖看着梅雪征說。
梅雪征豈會不明白他的弦外之音。
早在清崖準備走上這條路的時候，他就早已經把生死看淡了。
他又何嘗不是？
見他神色坦然從容，梅雪征知曉自己勸不住他，幾次張口欲言，最終還是沉默了下來。
最後他看着謝清崖，也只是無可奈何地說了一句：“有事記得跟我說，別什麽都自己扛。”
謝清崖知道他這是答應了，終于展顏笑了起來。
想到什麽，他又收斂臉上的笑容，同人低聲說道：“這事先別跟陛下說，我若成，那自然皆大歡喜；我若不成，陛下也不必因我之過而出事，他始終是天子，無論是蕭家還是曹達，都不敢真的對他做什麽……”
“他只需當做什麽都不知道就好。”
他原本就對此事，并不是真的十拿九穩。
他唯一能保證的，就是不要牽扯到梅雪征和陛下這邊。
自然想着多交待他幾句。
想着他要是真出事，表哥也能繼續輔佐陛下，繼續接手處理長野之戰的事。
雖然這些年，他一直都做得很好。
比他要好。
但梅雪征還未聽完他的未盡之言，便氣得先口不擇言打斷了他的話：“閉嘴！”
他瞪着謝清崖說道：“人打個仗，将軍還知道先鼓舞人心一下，你倒好，人還沒去，就想着交待後事了！”
Xie Qingya was touched when he saw him like this, but he still replied with a smile: "Weren't you the one who was badmouthing first? I'm just following your words."
"I……"
Mei Xuezheng was choked by his words and was speechless for a while. After a long while, he looked at the man, not knowing what to say, and said, "I will report you to the princess sooner or later."
After Xie Qingya heard him say this, the smile on his face faded a little.
He suddenly looked at the candle in front of him and said softly, "I hope you can go and complain to her sooner."
There really is such a day.
Then the things they wanted to do must have been solved.
At that time, my cousin would no longer have to hide his identity and could enter the Nan'an Palace openly. He and Xu Duanyi would definitely be able to be together happily.
Mei Xuezheng looked at his suddenly depressed mood and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at what he had just said. He didn't know what else to say to comfort him. He could only raise his arm and pat him on the shoulder gently: "It will be fine."
Xie Qingya smiled at him.
"Um."
He also looks forward to this day coming soon.