Chapter 042

Kong Lihui entered the palace in early November, and it has been nearly two months since then. In his previous life, Zhao Youze was healed by him for two months and found that he could see the light.

Now Yuankang's expression suddenly became serious, and Jiashan's heart couldn't help but go to Lao Gao. She sat upright next to Zhao Youze.

The heat rising from the stove in the inner room seemed to suddenly increase in speed, causing Jiashan's heart to surge.

She tried to calm herself down, grabbed the hand warmer beside her and held it in her arms.

Jiashan asked slowly: "What does Yuankang want to say?"

Zhao Youze slowly picked up a purple grape and put it in his mouth. After spitting out the core, he said calmly: "At midnight, sister, did you see the fireworks? Wasn't it beautiful?"

Jiashan patiently answered: "Colorful and beautiful."

She stroked the hand stove and smiled.

At this time, Su Yu went to get new charcoal, and Dan Cui led the palace servants to clean up the mess they had just made in the pavilion.

Apart from them, there was no one else in the inner room.

Jiashan lowered her voice and helped Zhao Youze tuck the loose hair on his forehead behind his ears. She asked softly, "Yuankang saw it too, right?"

Zhao Youze pursed his lips and smiled.

He raised his head, and on his little face, there was a pair of dark and clear eyes, just like the one in the painting that Zhan Yue had just drawn, full of life.

The smile on Zhao Youze's face deepened a little bit. Because he had drunk some wine, he couldn't help but blush and said, "I don't know if it counts. I just felt that there was light in front of my eyes all of a sudden."

"It was like a sudden enlightenment," Zhao Youze said. "Later, I asked Sister Su Yu what fireworks looked like. Sister Su Yu told me that it was like the dawn."

He raised a finger and stroked his chin, and said doubtfully, "I have never seen the dawn. But I think the scene before me should be similar."

Jiashan touched Zhao Youze's hair with mixed feelings. His hair was soft and fine, just like that of a child who had not grown up.

But more than ten years have passed, and her younger brother has grown up without her noticing.

A smile gradually formed at the corners of Jiashan's lips. She looked at him calmly and gently held him in her arms.

Jiashan said: "Suyu is right, and Yuankang is not wrong, it is just like dawn."

Zhao Youze said "Oh" and then said: "But it was only for a moment, and now everything in front of me is dark again."

Jiashan looked at the color of the sky and said with a smile: "Then when the sun rises tomorrow, I will wake Yuankang up. You can see if you can see the real dawn."

Zhao Youze asked: "Is it okay?"

He pursed his lips and for the first time showed a bit of helplessness and frustration in front of Jiashan.

Maybe it was because he had drunk some wine, Zhao Youze talked more than before. He held Jiashan's hand, sweating a little, but still holding Jiashan's fingers tightly.

He said, "Sister, I won't hide it from you. I get scared sometimes, but it's just a passing fad."

"It would be fine if I could not see forever, but if I see the light, I will become a blind man again." Zhao Youze held his chin with one hand and said calmly, "I think even a saint would have a psychological gap."

His voice was low and mournful, and he didn't use a very sad tone, but Jiashan felt uncomfortable for no reason when he heard it.

Jiashan said, "Don't say that."

"Do you remember what Yuankang said just now?" Jiashan's pupils were filled with a faint smile. Her face was as bright as spring breeze. She said loudly, "Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest. Everything will go well this year."

"Don't think too much, just sleep well." Jiashan raised her eyebrows, and she carefully wiped off the sticky sweat stains on Zhao Youze's palm with a handkerchief. She smiled and said, "On the fifth day of the New Year, I will ask my aunt to bring Kong Lihui to the palace and ask him to help Yuankang take another serious look. Maybe-"

Jiashan changed the subject and said lovingly, "Yuankang, I am glad to see my sister getting married."

Zhao Youze's gloomy mood was indeed swept away by a large part, and he asked with great interest: "Really?"

"Really." Jiashan smiled, patted his back and said, "It's late, go and get some rest. When I call you to get up tomorrow, don't lie."

A slight look of joy appeared on Zhao Youze's face. He obediently picked up a soup pot and let Su Yu lead him to his room.

After Zhao Youze left, Jiashan couldn't help but look more solemn. She quietly peeled a few purple grapes and ate them. It was only after Su Yu came back and reported that "the fourth prince has gone to bed" that Jiashan came to her senses.

She turned half of her face to the side, her face was delicate and young, she was thinking about something while washing her hands with a wet towel.

The snow outside had slowly stopped falling without me noticing.

The red tiles and white walls had lost their original colors, the sky and earth were desolate, and the ground was covered with dense snowflakes. The charcoal fire in the charcoal basin in the inner room had never been extinguished, and the whole hall was filled with fragrant smoke.

Jiashan took a deep breath. Her expression was like the softest green willow branch in the spring breeze of March.

Jiashan said, "In that case, let's all go to bed early. There's no need to keep anyone on guard at this hour. This is a rare opportunity once a year, so let's just be lazy."

Su Yu said "yes", walked forward and took Jiashan into the inner room to rest.

The next day is New Year's Day.

After getting up early, Zhao Youze had breakfast with Jiashan, and then went to Changle Palace to pay his respects to Concubine Jing.

After all, Concubine Jing had raised Zhao Youze for nearly ten years, and he grew up under her wing. On the first day of the new year, he should go and greet Concubine Jing.

Unfortunately, just after Zhao Youze left, Emperor Zhang He came to Fengyang Pavilion with Chen Gong. The heavy snow did stop for a while at midnight last night, but it started to flutter again at dawn, like goose feathers, and the entire eaves were covered with jade leaves and silver flowers.

At this hour, the palace servants only had time to shovel away the snow in front of the palace gates, while the snow in Fengyang Pavilion was still covering the ground.

The snowman that Jiashan and Zhao Youze made last night has not completely melted yet.

Zhang Hedi came in and saw five white balls gathered in the yard. Each of them had a head as big as a pot bottom and a body as thin as a bucket.

Emperor Zhang He smiled and asked, "What is that?"

Chen Gong replied happily: "It snowed last night when we were watching the New Year, and the eldest princess and the fourth prince were just fooling around."

He explained to Emperor Zhang He one by one: "The one in the middle is you and the Empress. The Empress is holding the Fourth Prince, and you are holding the Princess. As for the one on the side, that is Lord Zhan, who is holding the Princess."

Emperor Zhang He's eyes turned, and he actually went forward and added another layer of thickness to the snowman.

After playing, he clapped his hands lightly, stopped for a while, and then went to the main room to see Jiashan.

Jiashan was asking Su Yutuan to prepare the flour, roll out the dough, and then prepare some meat and vegetarian fillings. Everyone was happily making dumplings together.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Zhanghe came. She hurriedly stood up from the couch and bowed leisurely, saying, "How did your father come here in such a heavy snow? I was planning to go see you and even prepared the prize."

When Emperor Zhang He saw the flour and dough on the table, he knew what was going on. He asked someone to clear it away, and then he said, "These are just minor matters. You're getting married soon, so it's time to calm down."

Jiashan smiled. Her bright eyes and white teeth stared intently at Zhang Hedi.

She said, "This is probably the last time I will spend the New Year with you in the palace. I was not able to spend the New Year with you yesterday, and I will be uneasy if I don't do something today."

"Hmm." Emperor Zhang He took a sip of the hot tea he had just poured. He asked casually, "Where is Yuankang? Didn't he stay in your palace after the New Year's Eve vigil yesterday? Why didn't you see him?"

Jiashan's voice was clear and crisp, and she smiled and replied, "Yuankang got up early in the morning and went to pay his respects to Concubine Jing. He said he would come back after lunch."

Emperor Zhanghe said calmly, "He is quite filial to Concubine Jing."

It was hard to tell whether Emperor Zhang He was happy or angry in his words, but his cold eyes suddenly turned to Jiashan.

Jiashan pursed her lips slightly, her brows slightly furrowed.

Emperor Zhanghe raised his eyebrows slightly, and in a low and long voice, he stared at Jiashan and asked, "Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Jiashan's breathing became slightly heavier. She was silent for a while, then slowly knelt down and said, "I want to apologize to the emperor."

"We are living in a good life, why are you asking for apology?" Emperor Zhang He's expression eased a little, but he did not mean to ask Jiashan to stand up.

He groaned for a moment, then said solemnly, "In your heart, you must think of me as a ruthless father."

Emperor Zhanghe's voice was light and airy, but it seemed to carry a thousand pounds to Jiashan's ears. Her heart sank slightly, and she immediately realized that she was afraid that Kong Lihui's affairs had not been hidden from her father from beginning to end.

Jiashan's face turned pale, and she whispered, "Father, I have never thought of this for a moment."

Zhang Hedi stroked the teacup and said nothing.

"I know that although the emperor is the father of Yuankang and me, he is also the emperor. You care about the world, so it is impossible for you to only consider Yuankang and me." Jiashan's tone was sincere, and she nodded gently, "But I am a selfish sister, and I am not as broad-minded as you. Yuankang was blind when he came, and the queen mother passed away early. He is still so young. If I don't take care of Yuankang, I'm afraid no one in this palace will treat him sincerely."

"I decided to keep the matter of Kong Lihui secret from you."

Having said that, there was no need to keep hiding it. Since the emperor was acting like this, it was obvious that he was prepared. If she continued to hide it, a small disaster would turn into a big one.

Jiashan said: "He is also worried that his medical skills are not good enough to cure Yuankang's eyes, which would cause the emperor to worry."

Emperor Zhang He did not look angry. He asked calmly, "You hid it from me because you were afraid that you couldn't cure it?"

Jiashan raised her eyes and saw that Emperor Zhang He's gaze was like that of a hawk. She couldn't help but flutter her eyelashes slightly and said softly, "Father, your majesty is wise."

"Yuankang's eyes now have hope of seeing the light, and I, your son, am also brave enough to have a heart-to-heart talk with you, father." Jiashan's tone, in this warm room filled with charcoal smoke, was like a burn, and it penetrated into Emperor Zhanghe's heart.

Zhang Hedi's eyes were burning with anger. He rubbed his brows and asked, "What do you want to say?"