Chapter 32 Chapter 32 [VIP]
The emperor had a dream that he hadn't had in a long time.
There are many fish dancing in the lotus pond. This is a very simple Taoist temple, but the koi in the flower pond are fed very fat.
The golden-red koi fish leap among the towering lotus leaves, glittering and colorful, like a painting.
The person next to him carefully held his hand and said softly, "Isn't it beautiful?"
She tilted her head, a smile on her lips, and had her hair in a little girl's bun.
Innocent, tender, gentle and well-behaved.
The night seemed to be pitch black, and a lamp illuminated the scene before them. There was lingering rain on the bluestone slabs, which was very much like the ink painting style of the Jiangnan region.
Older people would avoid it when they saw it, but the little girl would step on it every time.
She smiled happily, her little hand held by him, her watery eyes shining brightly.
Few people will forget those eyes after seeing them. They are beautiful, clean, and crystal clear, like a pool of moonlight or a clear spring.
When illuminated by the light, it looks like clear blue autumn water.
It really lived up to the saying that starry eyes are rolling and shining.
He whispered, "Be careful."
The little girl nodded obediently and said softly, "I know, I know."
But did she stop doing it? The answer is no.
This was a very helpless child, but he did not have any rejection or aversion towards her.
After returning to the small courtyard where they lived, the girl took over the show, holding his hand and pressing him onto the bed. She fetched ointment and a soft cloth, and said in a soft, firm voice, "Take it off quickly."
Seeing that he was moving so slowly, she was a little anxious.
A pair of soft little hands pulled open his clothes and started to rip them off.
The wound was on her abdomen, and she was in a hurry to change the dressing, but her hands were steady. After she finished, she said proudly, "I'm awesome, aren't I?"
She is actually very soft-hearted and can never get the delicious food in the cafeteria.
But when she was in front of him, she was like a pampered little bud, blooming happily.
There was nothing impure in the little girl's eyes, no calculation of interests, no scheming, and her innocent ignorance and enthusiasm made it difficult for people not to soften their hearts towards her.
After changing the medicine, they lay side by side on her small bed.
The starry night is clear and the Milky Way stretches across the sky.
It is much cooler in the mountains than in the city, and there is a gentle breeze even on a midsummer night.
The little girl turned sideways and looked at him with her watery eyes: "Can't you sleep? Then let me tell you a story."
He was about to shake his head slightly when she began to tell the story, stumbling over it. "This story is about Daozu and his good friend. One day, they were watching fish on a bridge together, and Daozu said the fish were so happy."
She is not well-trained and can't even tell a simple story well.
But on nights like this, there is an indescribable sense of peace.
It was as if all the anxiety and manic emotions were gently soothed by her little hands.
The whole night was spent in silence.
When he woke up the next day, the emperor's thoughts were still immersed in the cool summer night.
The face of the person in the dream was blurry, but he knew without thinking that she was Yuan Mu.
To be more precise, it was fifteen-year-old Yuan Mu.
The person in the dream was probably Helan Zhen.
The emperor was very clear about their past. Yuan Mu had told him many times, and in order to make him believe it, she told him everything she could.
She even made him some osmanthus cake herself, but he took a bite and threw it all away.
The emperor couldn't eat this kind of thing. Someone had poisoned osmanthus cake before, and he would vomit after taking a bite. How could he love this kind of food as she said?
There are too many mistakes in Yuan Mu's words.
But he still remembered it.
The sky was just beginning to turn pale. He had only seen her secretly these days. She was living well alone, but her expression would turn cold if the servant mentioned him at all.
Sometimes the emperor really wished he was Helan Zhen.
Rather than a fake who needs to take over other people's bodies to get a moment of warmth in a dream.
The emperor seldom complained about his difficulties to others, but in fact, he had a very difficult time in the year when his mother was killed and his position as crown prince was abolished.
There were several times when he thought he was going to die.
The future is shrouded in smoke and fog, full of darkness and danger, and traps can appear from any corner at any time.
At times like this, even a little bit of hope is crucial.
What's more, it's a relief to be trusted and loved wholeheartedly by someone.
The emperor had also thought about what would happen if he really followed Yuan Mu's words and recognized Helan Zhen's identity.
But the emperor's pride would not allow him to do so.
If they accept it, all conflicts between them will vanish into thin air.
But this also means that to Yuan Mu, he will always be just a shadow that exists as a substitute.
Just like the dream just now, life in the Taoist temple is so peaceful and beautiful, but outside it is the darkest moment of war and purgatory on earth.
, tall and graceful, with a dignified posture.
Lift.
The dream was like a cup of tea with endless aftertaste, constantly echoing in his mind.
Strangely enough, this is a dream that puts me in someone else's shoes.
It was as if he had really experienced those things, just like the person in the dream.
He lowered his eyes, his expression gloomy.
-
Time is like running water, passing by in a flash.
Yuan Mu underestimated the injury on her neck. She thought it would heal in five days at most, but she didn't expect that almost ten days had passed and it still hadn't fully recovered.
She had difficulty bathing these days, and it was only with the help of her maid that she was able to do it successfully.
Yuan Mu has a poor appetite and eats very little every day.
Qingning Palace is quiet and lonely, but it has been quite noisy outside recently.
The selection was a big event, and it was bustling with activity both inside and outside the palace. Most of the candidates were ladies from aristocratic families and sons from good families. The scale of the selection was not large, so the formal selection began soon.
After Zhang Yuanpan looked at it again and again, he agreed to remove the gauze from Yuan Mu's neck.
She had very few belongings. She didn't bring anything with her when she entered the palace, not even a box. All her clothes and accessories were purchased after she entered the palace.
So Yuan Mu didn't plan to take anything away.
She came with nothing and left with nothing. From now on, she would just treat the past two years as a dream.
After Yuan Mu entered the palace, he never went out again.
The few times he left the palace, he always accompanied the emperor.
After removing the soft cloth around her neck, Yuan Mu asked someone to deliver a message to the emperor, asking her to prepare to leave the palace. He did not respond to her, but only sent someone to tell her to go to Ziwei Palace in person.
She held the letter in her hand, looked at it for a moment, then tore it into pieces and threw it into the fire.
Yuan Mu's snow-white neck was white, and after the wound healed, only a shallow blood mark remained.
The maid carefully applied medicine to her wound and said soothingly, "My lady, the old scab hasn't fallen off yet, why are you in such a hurry to leave the palace?"
Their expressions were filled with pity.
Life in a Taoist temple is hard, even worse than that in a Buddhist temple, and few women volunteer to become nuns.
But Yuan Mu was determined to go. After applying the medicine, she stood up and said to the attendants, "Prepare the sedan chair and go to Ziwei Palace."
The peach blossoms outside are blooming.
The spring breeze blew on his face, and the fragrance of flowers lifted Yuan Mu's black hair.
In the warm sunlight, the cold and gentle snow-white face seemed to be coated with a layer of light golden halo.
The beautiful ladies passing by were all stunned.
Yuan Mu was wearing a light blue robe, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his slightly sick face looked like Xi Shi holding her heart.
Not only does it not destroy the beauty, but it adds a touch of charm.
It was only then that she realized that this spring's talent show had officially begun.
Yuan Mu once thought that she would feel heartbroken or sad about this, but when all this really happened, her heart was filled with only peace that the dust had settled.
She lowered her eyes and almost rushed to the Ziwei Palace.
The emperor happened to be in the palace today. He was rarely free in the morning, but there was already someone in the inner hall.
It was Grand Tutor Zhou and Concubine Shu, and there was also another quiet girl.
Grand Tutor Zhou was the grandfather of Concubine Shu. He was famous and had outstanding character. He had served as a teacher to the emperor and the King of Chu in the past, and his status was extremely respected.
The first person Yuan Mu noticed was the quiet girl.
Her face has a sense of peace and tranquility, without any competition or struggle, and full of calmness.
Not long ago, a group of little girls took the wrong path and accidentally walked into Qingning Palace. This girl was one of them.
But compared to the chattering of the people in the middle, she stood aside quietly and rarely answered.
At that time they were going to Yufu Palace.
This is a very large palace, and it is not appropriate for Concubine Shu to live alone.
But her real name was Zhou Fu Yu, which happened to be the same as "Yu Fu", so the emperor gave her the Yu Fu Palace.
Seeing Grand Tutor Zhou's intimate behavior towards the girl, Yuan Mu suddenly remembered who she was. She must be Concubine Shu's sister - Zhou Xiyu.
The emperor likes gentle, quiet and obedient women, preferably those with some bookish air and talent.
He had a faint smile on his lips, and when he looked at the quiet girl, his eyes and brows showed satisfaction, as if he admired her a little.
Yuan Mu came to question the emperor, but when he saw his closeness with the Zhou family through the screen, he suddenly didn't want to go in at this time.
She didn't know why either.
But she encountered this nasty mistiming every time.
The emperor's senior eunuch personally led Yuan Mu over. Seeing her lowered her eyes and remained silent, he spoke softly, "Your Majesty, would you like me to pass the message before you go?"
This is a matter of ceremony and respect.
Many ladies are particular about this, but Yuan Mu has never paid attention to this matter.
Only the emperor cared. He would not allow anyone to disobey Yuan Mu or show any disrespect to Yuan Mu.
Yuan Mu whispered, "I'll come over after they leave."
The light blue dress suits her very well. It was specially sent by Jiannan this year. It is made of silk as white as water and so expensive that there are only a few pieces in the whole palace.
But the emperor didn't even look at them and had them all sent to Qingning Palace.
The spring skirt made is indeed very beautiful.
The two have been in conflict recently, and the emperor has not seen Yuan Mu wearing new clothes yet.
While sending Yuan Mu to the side hall, the old eunuch winked at his disciple beside him, indicating that he should report to the emperor immediately.
As they were about to go over, they happened to run into the Xi brothers and sisters who were arguing fiercely in front of the hall.
Xi Lanyan's eyes were red and she cried uncontrollably: "I don't want to marry the King of Chu. I would rather die than marry him!"
Xi Rongjing's usually gentle and refined face was now filled with annoyance.
He whispered, "Who do you want to marry, Ayan?"
"The King of Chu doesn't like me, and he certainly doesn't want to marry me!" Xi Lanyan said sharply, "Have you ever considered our feelings when you did this?"
Xi Rongjing interrupted her and said sternly, "So you want to find a beloved husband and elope with him?"
The two of them were arguing quietly, but when they saw Yuan Mu coming, they suddenly calmed down.
Xi Lanyan didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Yuan Mu.
When she heard a few days ago that the emperor was going to hold a beauty contest and was deliberately ignoring the Yuan family, she was so happy that she almost went crazy.
Xi Lanyan has been looking forward to entering the palace for many years.
How much she wanted to be the Crown Prince's wife. She would definitely do a great job, at least a hundred times better than that idiot Yuan Ying.
But she is too young.
When Yuan Ying took the throne as queen, Xi Lanyan had not yet reached the age of marriage.
She couldn't even enter the palace, so how could she become the queen?
She had waited so long for such a great opportunity, but she never expected that her brother would want her to be the Princess of Chu!
Playing with Brother A Zhang is undoubtedly a happy and honorable thing, but Xi Lanyan has never thought about marrying him.
It can be said that there is no noble lady in the capital who wants to marry a pure playboy like the King of Chu.
He is already seventeen or eighteen years old, but has achieved nothing.
Without the emperor's protection, the King of Chu would be nothing. How could her brother have the heart to marry such an outstanding woman to a man like the King of Chu?
Xi Lanyan couldn't figure it out, and she didn't want to think about it anymore!
She wanted to express her feelings to the emperor. She was deeply in love, young and beautiful, and was also his cousin.
The emperor never said it, but he must have some affection for her!
But before Xi Lanyan could succeed, she was caught up by her brother. The two quarreled for a long time until she ran into Yuan Mu, and her mood suddenly calmed down.
How could she be like this, throwing a tantrum like a mad woman?
Xi Lanyan wiped her tears with her sleeve, bit her lip and called out, "Sister."
She looked weak, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Yuan Mu hadn't seen Xi Lanyan for a long time, and she had always been very protective of this sister who was one year younger than her.
She handed Xi Lanyan a handkerchief and asked softly, "What's wrong, Ayan?"
Yuan Mu had a faint fragrance on her body, not like the scent of flowers, nor like incense, but like her most authentic body odor.
The fragrance is floating in the air and the rich aroma is lingering.
Xi Lanyan took the handkerchief. She didn't have much affection for Yuan Mu, but at this moment, she really wanted to throw herself into Yuan Mu's arms and cry.
She even wanted to ask Yuan Mu if he could persuade the emperor to let her enter the palace.
But before Xi Lanyan could say anything, Yuan Mu gently embraced her, and Xi Lanyan's tears, which had just stopped, burst into tears again in an instant.
"Sister..." she cried, "I don't want to marry the King of Chu. Please help me."
Yuan Mu was slightly stunned, but before she could say anything, a pair of hands pulled her into his arms.
The emperor frowned, ignoring the Xi brothers and sisters present, and whispered a rebuke, "Who allowed you to come out? You've only just recovered from your injuries, are you in such a hurry to come out?"
He didn't even say a polite word to the Zhou family, and came over immediately after receiving the letter.
The emperor didn't expect Yuan Mu to come so soon.
She was reluctant to come to Ziwei Palace, and every time she came, she was forced by him.
I thought Yuan Mu would come in a few days, but I didn't expect her to come soon after receiving the letter.
The emperor didn't like Yuan Mu to have close contact with other people, even women. When he saw Xi Lanyan hugging her tightly, his brows immediately frowned.
But Yuan Mu didn't be polite to him.
She lowered her eyebrows and said directly, "My injuries have healed. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to leave the palace and recuperate."
This sentence was like thunder from a clear sky.
Xi Lanyan's jaw almost dropped to the ground, and Xi Rongjing's expression suddenly changed.
The emperor did not want to discuss this matter with Yuan Mu at this juncture.
He has been so busy with military affairs lately that he has not even bothered to care about the draft.
The late emperor left behind many descendants, and many of his nephews and nephews were of marriageable age.
The emperor's failure to select concubines had made it difficult for them to get married. He had been unusually busy recently, and even when he went to Qingning Palace occasionally, he could only quickly see Yuan Mu late at night.
Who would have thought that she would tell him such a thing as soon as she came?
The blood in the emperor's forehead was throbbing. He whispered, "Your injury hasn't fully healed yet. Don't even think about going anywhere."
Yuan Mu opened his collar, exposing his snow-white skin in front of him.
She retorted softly, "Why isn't it all right?"
There was no trace of the gentleness of the past in Yuan Mu's eyes, only thorny stubbornness and rebelliousness.
The Xi siblings, who had been arguing fiercely just now, were now silent, like shadows in the dark, their eyes watching their noses and their noses watching their hearts.
"The bandages were only removed today," the emperor retorted with a hint of rage, "how can you say it's completely healed?"
Yuan Mu's expression turned cold.
"Then if you're being so meticulous," she looked into the emperor's almond-shaped eyes, "will I ever be healed?"
There was a strong resistance in Yuan Mu's eyes.
Her disobedience was so strong that the emperor's emotions were like a raging fire filled with boiling oil.
He whispered, "Everyone get out."
There were not many people in the side hall, and everyone quickly retreated like flowing water.
Yuan Mu tried to remain calm, but when the emperor grabbed her lower back and pressed her down on the table, her mind went blank for a moment.
She cried out, "Li Congliu!"
There is no point in reasoning with the emperor.
He was extremely accustomed to power and tyranny when it came to Yuan Mu.
He is as arbitrary as a real dictator.
There was obvious hostility in the emperor's eyes. He left a deep kiss mark on the back of Yuan Mu's neck. His slender knuckles brushed across the hem of her skirt and forcefully pried her legs apart.
When possessiveness reaches a certain level, it can become almost terrifying and pathological.
The emperor once tried to resist this fatal attraction.
He had failed, and he didn't want to resist now.
This person should be his. And will always be his.
The emperor turned Yuan Mu's face over, pinched her jaw, and pried open her teeth.
His kiss was almost violent, as ferocious as that of a strange beast.
Yuan Mu had no room to struggle and could only let him forcefully kiss his lips and mouth open.
The emperor kissed her so deeply that her throat felt slightly sore. This forceful kiss had a dirty quality that swallowed up her whimpers.
Yuan Mu's slender fingers hung on the table, her eyes were filled with tears, and perhaps hatred.
The cold face was like a broken branch, unable to even tremble.
The emperor covered Yuan Mu's eyes with dark silk and kissed her forcefully, making her more and more afraid and powerless in the darkness, and her crying became weaker and weaker.
The estrangement of the past few days turned into a burning fire.
Burning almost crazily.
The emperor grabbed Yuan Mu's waist and kissed her all the way down along her shoulder bones.
The dark blue outer robe slipped down and piled up at her snow-white waist, and the half-taken-off look made her look even more charming and seductive.
Yuan Mu became more and more tired as he cried, and his sanity gradually became lost. In the end, he leaned weakly in the emperor's arms, unable to even open his eyes.
The emperor pinched her jaw and asked morbidly, "Do you still dare to say you want to leave, A'luo?"
Yuan Mu's voice broke as he cried, "No, I don't dare anymore..."
She was extremely determined at first and refused to change her mind no matter what. It was only when she had almost lost all the strength to cry that she finally gave in.
The emperor took off his outer robe, wrapped Yuan Mu in his arms, and left through the side hall.
It had been a long time since he had spoken to her for so many days. These days, it was not so much because of his anxiety about military affairs, but rather because he was worried about her.
The emperor really didn't want to use this word to describe himself.
But the fact is, the more he separates from Yuan Mu, the more he realizes that he is inseparable from Yuan Mu.
The emperor would be in a state of unrest if he didn't hear from Yuan Mu for an hour or two. His ministers and attendants were so afraid of angering him that they dared not even breathe when they spoke.
This time last year, he wasn't like this.
Just as Yuan Mu said, he used to treat her frivolously and recklessly, like a plaything.
But at some point, the offensive and defensive momentum between them reversed.
The emperor holds a high position and is undoubtedly the superior.
But in their relationship, he was worried about gains and losses, suspicious, and bluffing, and was checked and balanced by Yuan Mu everywhere.
She frowned slightly, and his mood was completely disturbed.
But the irony is that the emperor is willing to give everything to Yuan Mu, but she doesn't want it and only wants to leave him.
He carried Yuan Mu back to the inner hall of Ziwei Palace and stared at her face for a long time.
At a certain moment, the emperor had a morbid thought of putting a silver chain on Yuan Mu's feet and imprisoning her in the Ziwei Palace forever.
He really had no other choice.
-
Yuan Mu woke up very late. It was late at night when she woke up from her chaotic dream.
She dreamed of a very small child chasing after her, calling "Mom" repeatedly.
The child cried pitifully, but she never looked back.
When she woke up, Yuan Mu subconsciously touched her lower abdomen. It was still flat, but her back was soaked with cold sweat.
She had also been looking forward to the arrival of the child. At that time, she naively thought that as long as she gave birth to the royal heir, she could leave.
But now Yuan Mu is not eager for the arrival of a child at all.
Sweat was beading on her forehead as she carefully calculated the date of the wedding. It was almost here, and she shouldn't be so nervous.
But when he looked up and saw that the dome was the Ziwei Palace, Yuan Mu's heart sank to the bottom.
She is back again.
Yuan Mu was extremely depressed, but she didn't sleep for long.
The maid noticed it and hurried over to bring her the teacup.
Yuan Mu didn't take the cup. She walked out of the inner hall barefoot without even putting on shoes or socks. She whispered, "Where's Li Conglu?"
The night was already deep, but there was still laughter in the outer hall.
When Yuan Mu saw Aunt Yu and Yuan Yin, his heartbeat stopped for a moment.
The emperor smiled and said softly, "I have often heard A'luo mention Auntie. You raised A'luo alone. We can never repay such a great kindness in ten lifetimes."
His tone was soft, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he had a very natural posture.
Aunt Yu had never met the emperor, let alone had a conversation with him on an equal footing.
Yuan Wei may not have had such an honor many times!
Aunt Yu's face flushed, and she kept saying, "What are you talking about? How can a fool like me deserve such high praise from you?"
She had learned all the court etiquette firsthand, and it was so clumsy that she couldn't hide it.
But Aunt Yu's face was filled with joy.
Yuan Yin sat beside her mother, holding the cup quietly and awkwardly. A long time passed without her daring to drink a sip of tea.
A strong sense of powerlessness surged in Yuan Mu's heart.
She was barefoot and only wore a loose nightgown. The marks under her snow-white inner garment could not be concealed.
But Yuan Mu didn't care about anything at this time.
She walked up to the emperor and said sternly, "What do you want to do? Use my family to threaten me?"
Yuan Mu's eyes were red. She was furious and resentful, and she almost wanted to slap the emperor.
But the emperor's expression was so calm.
He raised his eyes in surprise, as if he didn't understand what she was saying: "A Luo, why do you think so?"
"Your mother and sister wanted to see you, so I sent them here," the emperor said gently. "Just now I wanted to send someone to call you, but the maid said you were fast asleep, so I didn't call you over. Don't be angry."
He was very humble, and his eyes showed the indulgence and pampering he showed towards a child.
This is an emperor who is rich all over the world.
Aunt Yu's eyes almost popped out, and Yuan Yin also pursed her lips with her eyes wide open.
Yuan Mu suppressed her emotions and said in a suppressed tone, "I don't need anyone to see me! Let them go."
She used to want to see her sister and aunt so much, but now she just hopes they can stay away from her.
The emperor looked embarrassed, but fortunately, Aunt Yu was very sensible. She pulled Yuan Yin to her feet and said with a smile, "A Luo's illness hasn't healed yet, right? You should take good care of yourself. Aunt Yu will come to see you next time."
Aunt Yu was dressed in gorgeous clothes, and the handkerchiefs she held in her hands were all expensive lilac handkerchiefs.
Yuan Yin has a slim figure and her dress fits her well and is beautiful.
The two people are no longer the same as Yuan Mu remembered, but she is still afraid that they will be bullied.
After they left, Yuan Mu's rising emotions gradually subsided.
She stepped on the floor of the outer hall, and the soles of her feet felt completely cool.
After the palace door closed, the emperor picked up Yuan Mu and placed his palms on her feet. He said softly, "Why did you come out barefoot? Aren't you afraid of the cold?"
He doted on her so much that he remained calm even when she kicked him in the chest. When he lifted her ankle, he leaned over and kissed the delicate ankle.
Yuan Mu's chest heaved, completely unmoved.
"Whatever you want to do, come at me," she said, still angry, "don't hurt my family."
This is too naive and immature.
Weaknesses should be firmly hidden under the wings, and only an ignorant child like Yuan Mu would expose them so thoroughly.
The emperor had recently taken Yuan Mu's aunt and sister out of the Yuan family.
After some simple questions, he finally understood why Yuan Wei provided them with fine clothes and delicious food.
If Yuan Mu is a kite that flies very far.
Then Aunt Yu and her younger sister are the kite strings that hold her back.
But the emperor did not hate Yuan Mu's innocence, he loved every bit of her.
"They are your family, how could I possibly hurt them?" He smiled softly, "I'm also going to confer an imperial title on your aunt and make your sister a princess."
Yuan Mu stood there in a daze.
How could her aunt be worthy of being granted an imperial decree, and how could her sister be honored to be named a princess?
Before Yuan Mu could come to her senses, the emperor held her face in his hands and continued, "A Luo, let's be good to each other from now on, okay?"
"When your sister dies, I'll make you queen," he said softly, "and we'll be together forever, how about that?"
This is an incredibly heavy promise.
The most subtle thing is the word "也".
Only Helan Zhen and Yuan Mu had said this before.
Yuan Mu's expression was shocked, but her body responded instinctively: "I don't want it, Li Congliu, I don't want it..."
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