The moon moved a little further westward, and his green shirt brushed lightly across the dusty jade steps like a floating cloud. Chu Qiao watched him gradually go away, but her heart grew colder inch by inch.
King Luo?
King Luo...
When she returned to the palace, Qiu Sui was waiting for her with her eyes open. It was obvious that the girl knew when Li Ce came.
"Miss, you're back!" Seeing Chu Qiao, the maid was delighted and jumped up, saying, "I've prepared lotus seed soup, Miss, drink a bowl before you go to sleep."
Holding the warm white jade soup bowl in her hand, Chu Qiao suddenly lost interest in tasting the food and looked up and asked, "Qiu Sui, do you know King Luo?"
Qiu Sui was stunned, frowned slightly, and said, "Miss, why do you ask this?"
"Nothing, just asking casually. If it's inconvenient, don't tell me."
"Well, it's not inconvenient, but..." Although there was no one in the palace, the little maid still looked around and whispered in Chu Qiao's ear, "This is a scandal in the palace. People generally don't dare to discuss it."
Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow, "Scandalous thing?"
"Yes, Lord Luo's father, the King of Lushan, is the emperor's uncle. When the emperor ascended the throne, the King of Lushan died of an unknown disease. It is said that when the emperor was young, he was even more reckless than the current crown prince. He ignored the dissuasion of the civil and military officials at the time, risked the world's disapproval, and forced his aunt to marry. Two years later, the princess gave birth to a son for the emperor, who is now the crown prince, and the emperor made the princess the queen. I heard that on the day of the queen's canonization, eight old ministers in the court died together and died on Fengming Terrace, but they did not change the emperor's mind. For more than 20 years, the emperor favored the queen alone, and the position of the central palace was as solid as a rock, and no one could shake it."
"That is to say..."
"That is to say, Prince Luo is both the Crown Prince's uncle and his half brother. King Lushan died early, and when the Queen married, Prince Luo was just a hundred days old, and he followed the Queen into the palace. Before he was twenty years old, he grew up in the palace with the Crown Prince."
"Oh my God!" Chu Qiao lowered her head and sighed softly. Thinking of the noble lady in simple clothes, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Did the Crown Prince and Prince Luo grow up together in this palace?"
"Not really," Qiu Sui bit her lower lip and said, "The Crown Prince and Prince Luo both lived with the Queen in Qianhua Palace. This Mihe Residence is Princess Fu's bedroom."
Chu Qiao raised her eyebrows slightly, "Princess Fu?"
"Well, Princess Fu is not a real princess. She is the granddaughter of General Murong, the Duke of Zhenguo. The Murong family is a major military family in our country. General Murong has devoted his life to serving his country. His four sons died on the battlefield for his country. General Murong also died in the last Northern Expedition. At that time, traitors rebelled and the army of Daxia broke through Baizhi Pass. Meng Tian, the leader of Daxia, ordered the killing of 30,000 surrendered soldiers. In order to protect the people of the city, the sixty-year-old old lady Murong led her four daughters-in-law to lead the Murong family. The army fought against the enemy, stalled time, and finally waited for the reinforcements from the border town, but the Murong family was destroyed in this battle. The family soldiers protected the young masters of eleven families and fled. When they saw the gate of the imperial capital, only Princess Fu, who was only four years old, was left. The emperor praised the loyalty and bravery of the Murong family, and posthumously conferred the title of Duke of Zhenguo on General Murong, the title of First-class Lady Huarong on Mrs. Murong, and the titles of marquis on several sons. Princess Fu was also canonized as Princess Zhangyi and raised in the palace, enjoying the same offerings as the crown prince and the King of Luo. "
Although this passage was short, Chu Qiao was secretly shocked when she heard it. The Murong clan could be said to be the contemporary Yang Clan of the Song Dynasty. She listened attentively and asked, "What happened next?"
"Later..." Qiu Sui bit her lower lip and thought for a while before whispering, "Then Princess Fu died."
Chu Qiao was shocked, "Dead?"
"Princess Fu and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are of the same age and have played together since childhood. The Emperor and the Empress intended to bestow honors on the Murong family and did not care about the decline of her family. So when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Fu were seventeen years old, they personally arranged their marriage and named Princess Fu the Crown Princess. The family was dedicated to the royal ancestral temple."
Chu Qiao listened quietly, but she didn't agree with it in her heart. The Murong family is loyal and brave. Although the entire family has declined, they still have irreplaceable influence and appeal in the army. Princess Fu's marriage into the royal family can be regarded as a consolidation of the royal family.
"But later, on the day of her wedding, Princess Fu hanged herself."
"What?" Chu Qiao's face suddenly changed, and she frowned and asked, "Suicide?"
"Yes," Qiu Sui's face was also a little pale, and she said in a low voice, "The royal edict said that Princess Fu died of illness, but Qiu Sui grew up in the palace and witnessed everything. At that time, the prince's carriage for the wedding had already arrived at Mi Heju. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was wearing a bright red brocade robe, holding a rose ball in his hand, and happily followed the ceremonial officer into the bedroom, but he didn't see Princess Fu. Everyone panicked and looked everywhere. In the end, it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who found Princess Fu first. Everyone ran to the back hall and saw Princess Fu in her wedding dress, with a three-foot white silk hanging from her head, hanging on the paulownia tree outside the window."
The night wind was freezing cold.
"His Royal Highness screamed and fainted. I followed my mother and was a member of the wedding procession. My mother and other aunts from the palace rushed over and put Princess Fu down. I stepped back in fear and tripped over a stone. I fell to the ground and cried for help. But I saw Prince Luo standing quietly behind the crowd under the pomegranate tree under the stone steps. He was wearing a purple robe and his face was as white as a ghost. He looked at the sycamore tree with red eyes. He said nothing and clenched his fists, as if It's like squeezing out water." Qiu Sui's eyes were red, and she sniffed lightly. "Later, all the ceremonial officers, palace maids, and aunts in the wedding procession were secretly executed. I was spared because I was less than nine years old at the time. After my mother died, I have been serving in the palace, but since then, I have not seen Prince Luo. He only returns to the palace once a year on the Queen's birthday, and rarely goes out. I heard that he was sent to Meishan to guard the tomb on behalf of the emperor. In a blink of an eye, it has been more than six years."
Chu Qiao nodded slowly, feeling depressed. This was another secret palace history, and she had seen too much of it.
"In fact, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not like this before. He became depressed after Princess Fu died. Miss, you have never met Princess Fu. She was truly a fairy-like person. Not only was she of noble status, she was also very kind to others and had a very gentle personality. Back then, none of us young ladies in the palace had not received her favor. I just didn't expect that such a gentle person would have the courage to take such a path in the end."
Chu Qiao shook her head calmly. "How can a descendant of such a loyal and valiant family be as gentle as water? I'm afraid the blood flowing in her bones is boiling hot. She would rather die in glory than live in disgrace. It's a pity that she didn't have the ability to protect herself back then, and she didn't entrust herself to someone who could protect her."
Qiu Sui seemed to understand what he said, but not quite.
Chu Qiao patted her shoulder and said with a smile: "Qiu Sui, do you like the palace?"
The little maid was confused for a moment, and murmured, "I don't know either. My mother was a female official in the palace. The empress dowager appointed her to the director of the Museum of Literature and History, and later gave birth to me. I was born here and have never been out. I am used to seeing the ladies and ladies of the palaces fighting for favor and deceiving each other. The only two masters who are different from them I have seen in my life are Miss and Master Fu. I can't say whether I like it or not, but whether I like it or not, don't I have to live like this?"
Chu Qiao was slightly stunned, then chuckled and said, "You are right. Whether you accept it or not, you have to live like this. Since you have never seen it, you can only choose to be content with the status quo."
She lowered her head, stroked the little maid's head, and said, "Qiu Sui, it's different outside than here. You can speak loudly, walk with big strides, go wherever you want, as long as you work, you can get paid, and you can live the life you want. Outside, even the wind is free."
The little maid was a little confused, and murmured, "Then... I don't want to get up in the morning, and I want to sleep in, and no one cares?"
Chu Qiao laughed, "Of course, but you will be deducted from your wages."
"Wow!" Qiu Sui suddenly became excited, grabbed Chu Qiao's hand, and asked, "Girl, is Yanbei like this? Is it?"
Chu Qiao looked at her with a distant look in her eyes, far from that of a seventeen-year-old girl. Through Qiu Sui, she seemed to see far away, the green grass of Yanbei, the white sheep, and the holy snow-capped mountains...
"I don't know if it's like that now, because I haven't been there, but I promise you, one day, everything will become true, so you have to live well."
Chu Qiao stood up, looking at the densely leafed paulownia tree in front of the window, and thought of the lonely man in the green shirt.
"The tung blossoms are in bloom for thousands of miles, and the conversation never stops. I hope I won't be born into an imperial family in my next life." The next morning, the sound of a carriage rolling around broke her sweet dream. Chu Qiao didn't disturb anyone, packed her simple luggage, and got on the carriage.
Tie You smiled at Chu Qiao and said, "Miss Chu, it's getting cold. There is dry food in the carriage. I wonder if you haven't eaten yet."
Chu Qiao nodded, "Thank you very much."
Tieyou obviously knew her true identity, and he smiled innocently and said, "The battles that Miss Chu fought in Daxia have become a model for classes in Shangwu Hall. My son likes you very much and talks about you all day long."
Chu Qiao looked at the man, slightly stunned, and asked, "Your son? How old are you this year?"
Tieyou smiled and said, "I am twenty-five, my son is twelve, I got married when I was thirteen, and I just had a daughter."
Chu Qiao was secretly shocked. Thirteen years old...
Li Luo was right, the wind here is indeed very strong. Chu Qiao was wearing a hood and she drew aside the curtain of the carriage. She could hear the wind whistling like a windmill. The early morning sun, with its golden warmth, sprinkled over the entire Jinwu Palace. The towering pavilions, waterside terraces and majestic palaces in the distance gradually faded away like a prosperous dream. The floating clouds are slow and light, relying on each other, the whole garden is full of crimson red and green willows, embracing a pool of clear blue water. The marble square was quiet, with only this carriage moving slowly forward in the morning light, casting mottled shadows.
Chu Qiao raised her head and looked at the floating clouds in the sky. She thought of Li Ce's expression as he leaned against the crabapple tree, and her eyes gradually became blurred.
"I am happy all day long, and I go east in the morning and west in the evening. I hope you can really be like this."
The carriage moved farther and farther away, and finally disappeared among the palaces. Li Ce, who was unable to get up early, was now standing on a rockery in Lanque Palace. The rockery was very high, with green bamboos planted all over it. It moved slowly in the breeze. There is a bamboo pavilion on the mountain, which is ingeniously built and very exquisite. Li Ce was wearing a green robe, a golden crown on his head, and holding a purple flute across his lips. He tried to play it several times, but failed to make any music.